Bold, energetic and impassioned – COCO Resort unveiled at CFW Resort Show 2014

Wednesday, 15 October 2014 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

When that impassioned energy with a touch of the wild and exotic swirled through the enthusiastic literati, glitterati and fashionistas gathered at the CFW Resort Show 2014 in Negombo, COCO’s debut with COCO Resort unequivocally made its mark. Bold, bright and vibrant, the Collection spelled out the free-spirited soul that is quintessential to the COCO brand. Set against the backdrop of sails on the moonlit beach of a quiet Indian Ocean, the Collection created the magic that imbibed spirit into the ocean, encouraged dancing in the rain, broke barriers, energized the soul and enlivened the love of life. Symbolic of freedom and actuating the very essence of this Collection, the end of the segment saw the release of white doves, a unique finale to an inspiring tale that brought forth the conceputalising of this Collection.

It is twentieth century Mexican artist and feminist icon Frida Kahlo who is the inspiration behind COCO Resort. Best known for her self portraits, her work is very emblematic of tradition, convention and feminism. It is this that Managing Director of Cotton Collection and Designer of this Collection Niloufer Anverally strove to create in this Collection and very successfully too. Whether the grandeur of swirling skirts with their bright flowers depicting a garden in bloom, the peasant style tops, fun shift dresses with just a touch of the indigenous, layer upon layer of fabric creating the illusion of walking on air and comfortable palazzo pants topped with tops that celebrate creation, all speak of the heart and soul of the free spirit, which is what Kahlo strove to depict in her paintings. There’s a certain surreal feel to the Collection too, a facet of Kahlo’s soul that COCO portrays with no compromise.

“For the COCO Team, this was truly an exciting project because Frida Kahlo epitomizes the very soul of COCO,” says Niloufer of the celebrated artist whose Neo-Mexicanism artistic style etched a path of bold femininity. “Her portrayal of Mexican culture and Amerindian cultural tradition is not simply about bringing cultures together but of her strong personality, to be herself, be individual and be what she wants to be. She was a woman who broke boundaries through her life and her paintings. To us, this is COCO!” This holds absolutely true as each piece in this Collection denotes individuality with a slight coquettish flavour, giving the wearer an air of boldness, inherent energy, invigorating passion and unique femininity. Using Frida’s signature hats depicting birds in nests or simply birds in repose, the COCO Team added that essential hallmark of dramatic symbolism with a vignette of primitive style to the bright colours that lit up the catwalk at the CFW Resort Show. The Collection with that bright summer feel and the blending of simplicity with the exotic which was artfully showcased on the ramp is now available at Cotton Collection, encouraging the fashion conscious to experiment with their true selves. Each easy to wear piece has an edgy vignette, articulating freedom and worn day or night, can yet prompt tranquil relaxation. Using a colour palette pictured in the upcoming resort trends for 2015, the debut of COCO Resort brought forth some exhilarating affirmations from the audience at the CFW Resort Show. They collectively called it, “Excitingly surprising,” and “Very relaxing in feel and definitely puts us in holiday mode,” as well as, “A versatile collection that can be worn to the beach or even as evening wear.” It is this versatility that makes the Colletion unique, embodying the holistic spirit of COCO that has always had the essence of life intertwined into the spirit of the creative power of a woman, destined to break barriers and be her true free spirited self.