Architecture for the body
Designer connects buildings to feminine fashion
COURTESY OF GULSHACHERELI
Gulshachereli Runway Show
Fashionably Late
Designer: Gulshachereli
March 6
Liberty Hotel, Boston
Designer Gulsha Chereli always thinks of texture first when she begins her design process, and that mindset was apparent in the collection she showcased at the Liberty Hotel last Thursday night. Even in the first round of designs shown, which favored a neutral color scheme, the texture and layer play was prominent: leather was paired with satin like fabric in a wraparound trench coat, the slim silhouette of a miniskirt was countered with draped fabric over the front of the piece, fabric traditionally used in businesslike blazers was molded into a Moto jacket, and black lace was integrated into every design. The line had a high fashion feel, but with a practicality that would make it easily wearable.
Chereli modeled her collections on classic silhouettes this season, saying, “I want this collection to be sexy, feminine, but still classic and elegant at the same time. And of course with an edge!” It certainly was; only one design in the collection featured pants rather than a skirt or dress, and the dresses all accentuated the waist for a sleek, sexy look. Drawing inspiration from architecture, Chereli added an edge to classic silhouettes, stating, “I love how each city has a unique mood and voice; I enjoy using that feeling in my collections.” The moods in her pieces seemed to be expressed with dramatic slits, layered ruching, and an emphasis on one-shoulder, geometric necklines.
Fashion and design run in Gulsha Chereli’s blood; her mother works as a miniature artist, and her father has a clothing line for children. “I think I got both their skills and combined them in my brand,” she tells The Tech. She begins each collection with a seed of inspiration, and from there searches for “pictures, colors, textures, anything that reminds me of that inspiration. I draw my designs and start patterns and samples — if something needs to be changed or modified, I do it in the process according to my taste.” Her process has culminated in a beautiful collection of classical designs with a brilliant, innovative touch.