Letlet Veloso in a denim shirt dress, Malu Veloso (seated) in a jacket with a loop-button front and Vicky Veloso-Barrera in harem pants and a metallic bag, all by Clivia Nobili

French designer Clivia Nobili has made a business of transforming no-nonsense work clothes into objects of desire.

At a recent mini fashion show, the commonplace artist’s smocks, sailor shirts, overalls, denims and blue uniform fabric looked elegant with choice fabrics and French workmanship.

The show was organized by designer-turned-culinary expert Vicky Veloso-Barrera and her designer sister Letlet and mother Malu Veloso.

Last year, Nobili launched her collection at SM Aura under the auspices of the French Embassy, and at the College of Saint Benilde.

Impressed with Nobili’s polished utilitarian aesthetics, Veloso-Barrera invited Nobili to present her latest collection at the heritage home of Veloso-Barrera’s grandfather, National Artist for Architecture Pablo Antonio.

The event aimed to generate revenue for the upkeep of the 70-year-old home, which has a marker from the National Historical Commission. The bungalow is a fine example of poetic tropical architecture.

Yves Zoberman, Cultural Attaché of the French Embassy, is in a “bleu de travail” suit,while wife
Genevieve is in a convertible poncho, both by Clivia Nobili. –PHOTOS BY NELSON MATAWARAN

Blue

Nobili’s 16-piece Spring-Summer 2018 collection was shipped from France by the French Embassy. A striking detail was the predominance of blue as the season’s color in fashion and interior design. Nobili dabbled in IKB or International Klein Blue, an ultramarine shade popularized by avant-garde artist Yves Klein.

A Nobili trademark, the bleu de travail (French term for working blue), a fabric for uniforms, was made into jackets and pants.

Although the silhouettes were built on uniforms, Nobili injected influences from famous designers. For instance, the use of ecru, brown and bright orange was derived from the homes of Mexican architect Luis Barragan.

The marinière, or the striped shirt worn by the French Navy in the 19th century, was also a nod to Jean Paul Gaultier’s signature sailor T-shirt.

Nobili’s simplicity echoed the minimalism of Giorgio Armani. The roomy silhouettes were influenced by Yohji Yamamoto, Nobili’s mentor at the start of her career.

The collection also made references to Nobili’s provenance, the south of France. For the summer, Nobili favored lightweight denim as a tribute to Nimes, the city where the fabric originated. She also took references from Avignon, the one-time seat of the papacy during medieval times, and which also served as a silk route from India. The collection infused silk separates to smarten up the work clothes.

Clivia Nobili’s versatile clothes go for 50 to 300 euros (P3,188 to P19,132). Veloso-Barrera said she wore her Clivia Nobili top with a matching blue skirt, while her 14-year-old daughter could don the same top and pair it with shorts.

The designer’s work wear looks effortless with sneakers in the daytime. Yet the same outfit can look sexy with high heels for cocktails. The French, indeed, have the knack for turning everyday practicality into high style. –CONTRIBUTED