“You are more than one thing at once; you are all of them fully.” – Miko Veldkamp.
Dear Shaded Viewers,
Retori’s Chapter 2, unveiled at Paris Couture Week, was not just a showroom—it was a statement. The venue, 18 Rue Visconti, carried the ghostly glamour of Madeleine Castaing’s atelier, a place where creative independence once thrived. The location’s history wasn’t just a backdrop; it was a provocation, daring the audience to consider how memory and artistry entwine.
Salma Rachid, the creative force behind Retori, is not interested in couture as a static display. Her vision is restless, layered, and a little irreverent—think of it as a conversation between past and future, with plenty of sly asides. In Chapter 2, Rachid’s evolving identity is everywhere, but never spelled out. Instead, it’s woven into the fabric of the collection—literally and metaphorically. Founder and creative director Salma Rachid and the creative team engaged in a compelling dialogue with Miko Veldkamp, a Dutch-Indonesian artist born and raised in Suriname. His work, shaped by a multicultural upbringing and a life across continents, becomes a powerful reflection of the shifting, layered nature of identity. The chromatic language bridges Veldkamp’s emotional landscapes with Retori’s visual world: clay, butter, dark taupe, and chocolate collide with vibrant accents of orange, amaranth, iris, aqua, and green, crafting a dialogue between memory and modernity.
The collaboration with Rooms Studio, Tbilisi’s design darlings, transformed the show into something more than a showroom. Imagine a salon where garments and décor merge, a space that’s both intimate and a little surreal. The result? A setting that felt like stepping into Castaing’s universe, only filtered through a contemporary, slightly off-kilter lens.
What about the clothes? They’re a study in tension and connection. Luxurious fabrics—think tactile, almost touch-me textures—meet unexpected pairings, making each look feel like a discovery. Tailoring is present, but softened: structured silhouettes are undone by draping and layering, as if tradition itself is being gently unraveled and reimagined. There’s a sense that every detail is a nod to the past, but also a wink at what’s next.
Chapter 2 reads like a manifesto for individuality—an invitation to honor the past, but never be bound by it. By weaving together decorative arts, contemporary design, and personal narrative, Rachid positions couture as a space for both intellectual and emotional play.
In the end, Chapter 2 isn’t just a collection. It’s an experience, a living dialogue, and a reminder that the most compelling couture is always in conversation—with history, with art, and with itself. In the heart of Paris, Retori proves that the future of couture belongs to those unafraid to rewrite its rules.
Later,
Diane
