A feast for the senses: Sorapol S/S 2014 presentation at Serpentine Gallery

Last night, Sorapol launched their spring/summer 2014 collection at the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion.  The Pavilion was designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto as a temporary installation in the heart of Hyde Park.  The transparencies in its structure encourage visitors to interact with their surroundings, where the designer states: “A new form of environment will be created, where the natural and the man-made merge; not solely architectural nor solely natural, but a unique meeting of the two.”  The site, lit up at night, was such a magical sight and formed an all-too-fitting back-drop for Sorapol’s transgressive presentation inspired by “Tevana,” which means “midnight garden” in Sanskrit.

For spring/summer 2014, Sorapol looked towards the mythical Princess Manora – a half-female, half-bird who was captured while bathing in a waterfall and delivered to a prince of a nearby kingdom.  Manora is a traditional symbol and a manifestation of the brand’s signature aesthetic of feminine beauty, grace and empowerment.

In deep purple and blue hues, custom-made, leave-shaped sequin embellishments, and classical silhouettesa, Sorapol transported us to Princess Manora’s kingdom of lush forests in our very own backyard.  Translucent resin and netting imitated the waterfall in the myth, while corsets and leather materialised Manora’s capture. Silks were paired with PVC and nylons paired with resin in an obscure blend of fabrics, reflecting the brand’s artistic foundations.

Mannequins were sporadically placed around the space, appearing to float in their ethereal beauty. Guests were found mingling amongst drinks and climbing the geometric installation to get a closer look at the intricate pieces, something both Sorapol and Fujimoto intended.

About an hour into the presentation, a singing group took the stage in a chilling performance that was moving and perfectly cast; a feast for the senses, for sure!  A feast that felt other-worldly in a way, even mythical.  Sorapol seamlessly blended nature, fashion, music and art into a symbiotic relationship, where each element both relied and fed off of one another. We left feeling fully immersed in Sorapol’s vision, with all of our senses creatively satisfied.

Christianna Pugliese

See more from Sorapol here!

The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is open until 20^th October 2013.