By Anna Willard
PARIS (Reuters) - Fluttering butterflies and a huge bean stalk helped to inspire the colourful spring-summer 2007 ready-to-wear show for Emanuel Ungaro designer Peter Dundas on Thursday as he presented his second collection for the label.
Ungaro was sold last November by Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo to an investment company backed by U.S. Internet entrepreneur Asim Abdullah.
With the change in ownership came a change in creative directors, the third in as many years, and the Norwegian Dundas took over the reins from Frenchman Vincent Darre.
Unable to find a greenhouse big enough to hold the 900 guests, Dundas erected a huge tent on the banks of the River Seine with green plants and flowers covering the ceiling and windows out to the passing boats.
Models paraded a cutaway swimsuit and a short backless dress sparkling with butterfly embroidery.
"It was butterflies and I started thinking about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees...I took it from there," Dundas told Reuters after the show.
A parka made of parachute silk covered in multicoloured cat prints billowed out behind the model and a flowing green iridescent silk mousseline gown was attached with one strap made of loops fastened across the back.
STINGERS
The models teetered on stilletto heels that Dundas called "stingers" because they were so sharp.
Abdullah is hoping to revive the fortunes of Ungaro by strengthening its core business and moving into new areas.
"It is one of those companies that I believe has a lot of legs to grow, not just in the areas where it has been successful in the past but also in men's and potentially in other product," Abdullah told Reuters.
However, he does not want to push the brand too quickly or force it onto a huge scale with broadranging distribution or too many products.
"The physics of luxury work against trying to build a company that's too large," he said.
Dundas is aiming "to let the label be what it deserves to be which is a world brand."
The afternoon show for Celine, was the third under designer Ivana Omazic, a former consultant for the brand who was hired by the label's owner LVMH last year.
In a darkened tent in the Tuileries gardens in front of the Louvre art museum, the young Croatian dressed girls in a sleek whites, some black and the occasional touch of colour.
A champagne double cotton silk gabardine belted jacket was teamed with a black silk cotton vest and a champagne silk gabardine pleated skirt. Models wore tiny black jersey shorts and revealing swimsuits. A light white silk organza sequin embroidered dress was matched with black shoes.
Several pairs of red shoes provided a splash of colour and models carried big leather bags -- favourites with chief executives because they carry high profit margins.