Thakoon Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

When designer Thakoon Panichgul was doing research for his new  collection, he observed similarities between the costumes of Versailles and the clothes worn by the Masai.

Well, right. But somehow the designer managed to make a connection and it worked. The first look told it all:  a puff jacket with detachable panniers à la Marie Antoinette, but cut from a red and blue plaid ripped from a photo of African Masai-warriors. And Thakoon kept it going from beginning to end. Most of the patterns and prints, including arty batiks and stripes, were inspired by East Africa while the silhouettes mainly hinged on the courtly side — pouf peplums, ruffles and folds. It was ambitious. But the designer maintained control of this marriage of mixed motifs and the most striking thing was that despite the theme it looked so connected to the streets.