Sunday of the Birthday Weekend

So, since it had been my birthday yesterday (Saturday the 1st), I decided to put off work and go to a fashion show that PAA had gotten some invites to. It was a designer or team called Chapurin, and the title of the show was "Anna Karenina", so I was picturing something very dark and Slavic. None of the PAA girls wanted to go, but Blessing did, so we arranged to meet at 11:20 am in front of her apartment (the show was supposed to start at 12 pm). I went to her apartment and waited there for about 25 minutes, getting more confused and concerned, before deciding to head off to the show by myself. (It turns out that we had gotten our signals crossed and hopefully will hang out soon!)
I took the 27 bus to the Carousel de Louvre (we seem to get all the invitations for the "salle delorme" room), and walked down. There was a line, which I induced that I had to wait as well, after seeing other people also holding paper invites to the same show. I got there right at 12 pm, and we ended up waiting in line for (I would guess) about 30-45 minutes. Finally, we were let through security and allowed to enter the room.
Immediately upon entering, each person was offered a free mini-bottle of Moet champagne (the first time this had happened at one of the shows I had attended). I took mine and stood on one of the top levels facing the stage. To my left were the photographers, standing on inclined risers, jostling for position. The stage against the wall had these spindly silver trees placed at intervals along the back, with pinprick lights highlighting them from above. The music evoked a train in the night (no, seriously).
We waited and waited and waited, the photographers getting more and more impatient, yelling at random intervals, yelling, "Go! Go!" and once, "Change the music!"
Finally, the show started. It was more new-world Russian (what with having a lot of military influences) than old-world (although a lot of furs were featured, a nod to the winter-or really, any time of year there). There were also hints back to dark sexuality, using light, dark knitwear as sleeves and leggings, and (what looked like) a fishnet body stocking. According to Chapurin, the big colors will be army green and a green a shade darker than kelly (used in semi-formal dresses), dark navy blue (for day-wear), and we will all be wearing furs (even in North Carolina). The hair and makeup trends were pretty interesting in that they seemed to deliberately veer off from what the other more "mainstream" designers were showing. Instead of having soft waves, the hair was bluntly cut short, with bangs hanging in the eyes (it reminded me of that haircut all the boys had in the 4th grade). Instead of naturally pale lips, they were stop-sign red. I'm pretty sure that these were in keeping with the military/dominatrix tone, but couldn't shake the feeling that he was doing it just to be different. (It's like the kids who are so into "indie culture" they won't give something from mainstream culture a chance, even if it might have redeeming social/political value, etc...so clearly, I'm not talking about The Hills here. These are the kids who go out of their way to go off the beaten path, and at first it's refreshing, and then eventually, you just want to tell them where they can stuff their new Death Cab for Cutie downloaded song every time they open their mouth.)
(Actually, maybe this designer's reading the "wrong" trend magazines. I wonder if the the fashion world is like school/society, where, even though it's unspoken and not generally acknowledged, there is one or more "correct" ideas for a season within a narrow segment. How wide is this segment? If one goes "outside" the segment, do they get ridicule or respect? Or does it depend on who you are, and your success status with fashion?)
I did like that this show was more conceptual and theatrical than the ones we've been seeing. The last look was a steel-grey strapless dress that revealed massive volume in the back. As the lights dimmed, the model turned around to face the back wall. Manufactured wind blew out her dress, a train sound was heard, and lights (simulating those of a train) flashed on in the darkness. The train sounds got louder and louder, at the same time that steam poured out of the lights/wall, and the model ran towards the lights/wall and disappeared backstage. Then, the music stopped, the lights came on, and the models did the final walk. I really enjoyed it.
(I think one of the reasons that I enjoyed this show so much was that I was able to get right in the front, at the end of the catwalk, to the right of the photographers. I had originally had my camera out and was taking pictures before the show started, and even though there were security guys near me, nobody said anything. Passing through security to get to the room, they saw my camera and let me go in. So a few seconds into the show, I noticed that the front was open, so I snuck down and pretty much knelt a few feet from the end of the catwalk, and took pictures there. Again, nobody said anything. Who knows? If someone had asked, I'd like to think that I'd lie and say I was a freelance fashion reviewer.)
After the show was over, I decided to walk across the street to the Palais Royal. It was a little cold, so there weren't many people there, and I took some pictures. On the way to taking the metro back, I bought some Skittles to eat...and nearly spat them out a few seconds later (I would've if they hadn't cost me a Euro). I think I've been spoiling myself since I've been eating Milka chocolate a few times every week. Or maybe I'm losing my taste for blatantly, artificially sweet stuff...
I came back and finished my Susan sketches, and chilled the rest of the night.