COMPLETE COLLECTION

PARIS, January 22, 2001

By Armand Limnander

At the Grande Halle de la Villette, 20 minutes outside of Paris, Emanuel Ungaro brought to life a fantasyland complete with a waterfall backdrop, bubbling ponds and a pink-sand promenade-runway that snaked its way around grassy slopes and a few petite trees.

What does one wear to an enchanted forest? In Ungaro's world, vibrant, contrasting colors are a good beginning—say, acid-green leather trousers with a fuchsia silk top and a purple wool jacket. Or, one could go for a softly tailored, feather-light violet chiffon wrap dress with a rose at the side. For more extravagant moments, there are rajah-inspired embroideries, sweeping skirts in chartreuse, salmon-and-sunflower tulle and large, knotted head wraps. But even the sweetest nymphs need to hit the town once in a while—and they can do so in flirty hot-pink, bright-yellow and fireball-orange minidresses with beaded-strap gold sandals.

Ungaro closed his presentation with an absolutely dreamy—if somewhat young—bride. Brazilian model Raica, a vision of loveliness in an enormous white gown that seemed to float on a rose cloud, turned 17 today.