Christian Lacroix: The Costumier (exhibition in the National Museum of Singapore)

All I can say is: WOW. Christian Lacroix is truly a master. You can tell that he lives and breathes fashion. How else can he have so many creative ideas in his head, that he translates into lively, dramatic and whimsical sketches and costumes?

The displays:

I was very impressed with the set design. The backdrops were STUNNING and complimented the costumes wonderfully, as well as conveying a sense of the individual plays that the latter belonged to. I especially loved this tent with tutu-ish costumes revolving in the air and a video projected onto the drapings. It was definitely the highlight of the exhibition for me.

Some of his sketches:

I was totally blown away by the quality of his sketches. They convey the spirit of the costumes very well. He really is an expert at layering watercolours and coming up with colour combinations that are vibrant, striking or quirky. He has inspired me to improve my fashion drawing and acquire skills in watercolour painting.

My favourite costumes:

The black lace applique juxtaposed with the grey accordion-pleated skirt creates a beautiful effect.

I get a sense of careless sophistication from this charming man's outfit with a silver-embroidered mint green vest and cloaks loosely layered over a white shirt.

The blues and black form a stylish palette and sleek look.

This ethnic-inspired ensemble is so wacky that I love it, down to the black feather headdress. I think the mixing of textures and colours is genius.

Another cool ethnic-inspired outfit. This time I like the look of the dark coat as a foil for the vibrant colours.

The high-neck lace collar, corseted bodice, full skirt and ruffle sleeves combine to create one dramatic and romantic costume.

This gown is interesting as it has a 'rags and riches' feel.

The textured jacket and skirt look so fun.

The amount of thought and detail that goes into each costume is amazing. I could wax lyrical about each and every one of them. They are truly pieces of art. It's my first time going to an exhibition of this sort and I'm so excited. I highly recommend it to anyone who's interested. Hui Jun, who was with me, walked away declaring that she wanted to study fashion design. And it has made me love fashion even more!