PARIS, Jan 21, 2008 /FR/--- Among the young designers selected to show during Paris Haute Couture in the category of invited members, some use this spotlight to present their “laboratory” ready-to-wear line for the next season. Felipe Oliveira Baptista has been doing this now for the fourth time.

After having explored shapes in a most innovative manner with his two first collections and then having some fun with his very own vision of super heroes for Spring 2008 presented in July last year, the designer from Portugal has created a set of looks that are both wearable and creative.

“I started from four real butterflies”, answered the designer when asked about his inspiration; “then I pushed their colours to the extreme, and when I saw their shapes they made me think of sports cars of the seventies and eighties like the Lamborghinis”.

The most outstanding achievement in the collection come from this inspiration in short dresses with appliqués in the shape of butterfly wings folded in such a way that they create a 3D effect, as Felipe Oliveira Baptista has decided to treat these prints, not like traditional motifs but like wide embroidered pieces attached to the actual garment.

His use of the butterflies is thus really fresh in a new vision as he does not try to apply the shape of wide patterns as if to underline a woman’s curves, but in a more futuristic direction with the realism of butterflies not really in mind.

Some other pieces include a trim of goat fur paired to more industrial fabrics of technical material. From this melange emerges a collection certainly more wearable than what Felipe Oliveira Baptista had used his fans to, and with a very innovative edge.

Very good in the department of dressmaking, the designer would however need to investigate further the tailoring department, which apart from one or two nice pants, is not proving to be his forte at the moment.

Getting better from collection to collection is an undeniable sign that there is hope for Felipe Oliveira Baptista’s future, as he is following his humble path with much thorough concern and not failing to surprise with each and every presentation. He is certainly a designer to follow in the future, if he continues to gain new aficionados with every runway show, and could soon become a big name in fashion.