A THRILLING REVIVAL

I admire people who refuse to constantly reinvent themselves just because trends dictated by powerful fashion magazines and influential brands are volatile. Catherine Baba is a stylist who doesn’t embrace predictable fashion chapters, like a mesmerizing performer, she makes bold statements and has developed an unmistakable style which has its own place in contemporary fashion. If you’ve never seen a picture of her, think of a Rudolph Valentino silent-movie star with the spirit of eighties style Emmanuel Ungaro and a touch of regal Orientalism. She dresses with a sort of 20s and 30s Hollywood glamour and feminine allure, displaying a love of rich fabrics and fantasy clothes that frequently have a surreal twist. Combine this with the power looks of mid 80s Montana and you obtain a compelling exploration of fashion with lasting impact. Catherine Baba is all about the organization of movements, energies, textures and above all accessories. Lots of accessories. She wears her excessive accoutrements with a passionate bravado, punctuated by a lot of “j’adore” said in a voice devoid of any form of an Australian accent after 15 years living in Paris. Watch her talk to Diane Pernet and you cannot help but feel inspired by her dramatic and animated presence, her Louise Brooks super tweezed eyebrows and the curl of her rouged lip. She can pull off pure and impractical fashion madness, appropriating the bits of different eras that interest her, yet making it all seem like a new beginning. A spectacular vision!

Images from editorials she has styled.

She has worked for Chanel, Givenchy, Balmain and Ungaro and is a freelance stylist and consultant for a number of fashion houses and designers. She has also worked for Dazed and international editions of Vogue.

All pictures from: TFS, www.catherinebaba.com and www.cecile-bortoletti.com