Art is Always Evolving

Atelier Mimii Paris Fashion Week AW19

As soon as I entered the show space on Rue de Penthièvre I knew that this was not going to be an ordinary show. The floor was covered in white paper with frenzied marker illustrations of fashion faces and figures, colorful and intense. The music, however was a completely different vibe. The pianist played softly and it sounded like happy hour at a swanky lounge. Attendees came in with their cameras in hand snapping away, only stopping to grab a glass of champagne. I had no idea when to stop taking pictures, there was just so much to see. When the models finally emerged, I knew I was in trouble…

Swiss born with Spanish roots, designer Marta Rios is the genius behind the fantastical world of Atelier Mimii. Having grown up in many parts of the world she is not only well traveled, she is well lived. Her appreciation of art is very evident in her work as a fashion designer. Rios also pays attention to what it means to be truly sustainable. She uses her fabrics in a way where nothing is wasted and her handbags and accessories are often times one of a kind pieces made from fabrics left over form her larger creations.

Each strikingly vivid model armed with bowls of paint and a brush walked slowly around the room, completely surrounding the guests. Then appeared models in nude body hose and colorful makeup. The models wearing Mimii designs of quilted velvet, bright jewel toned garments with Elizabethan touches and rich embellishments approach the “nude” models and begin painting them. Each model with a different color paints the figures, rendering them walking and working pieces of art. I was in trouble. I had no idea when to stop taking pictures. This interactive show is something my soul has been searching for. It triggered parts of my appreciation for art and creativity that have laid dormant for some time.  After an hour in wonderment, with a hot camera I retreat to a nearby café to recharge the batteries.