Clara Freiin von
Inspired by Balenciaga’s visionary window designer Janine Janet—who collaborated on the costumes for Jean Cocteau’s The Testament of Orpheus—this design channels the film’s uncanny atmosphere. Cocteau’s cinematic world is a wasteland of dreamlike encounters, where the surreal and the real dissolve into one another, creating an uncanny landscape that informs the design of this unconventional woolen ensemble with a curved ruffle that extends from the collar to the sleeves.
The suit is crafted from 100% grey wool weave, embellished with hand embroidery of glass beads and sequins. Voluminous ruffles, cut from double-face cotton poplin, add sculptural drama, while silkscreen printing adds a graphic dimension. French seams and tightly gathered ruffles reinforce the structure. The jacket and skirt are patterned in grey wool, their tailored lines softened by unexpected details. At the hem of the skirt, braided hair is attached for a provocative decorative touch and added weight, revealing its uncanny, cinematic influences.
