Furne Onè unleashes his unholy side
MANILA, Philippines - It rained occult references that night. Furne Onè’s show, which was presented for Bench as it launched the designer’s second collaboration with the brand –– a unisex scent called Unholy –– was a look at the designer’s skill as much as it was a peek into his persona.
“Am I holy or unholy?” asked one of Dubai's most sought-after designers, Furne Onè, owner and designer of Amato Haute Couture with an elite client roster that includes Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Tyra Banks, in an interview with Philippine STAR. Clear-cut in vision and execution, the staggering 42-piece, never-before-seen collection was tight; the production was simple and truly sense-surround, even tending to the oft-forgotten olfactory needs of the audience with the ceremonial spritzing of the scent on the runway.
Crystal-encrusted animal masks, bodices that encase the female shell with provocative precision, footwear shaped like hooves, a cape with an amphibic spine worthy of the Smithsonian, and hair, wild like fire and red like Furne’s, all added a generous spirit of irreverence to the otherwise divine sartorial parade. It is by treading the line between what’s good and what’s decidedly, sinfully good that Furne created a niche in the industry, and he does this again for Bench –– a brand that has broken the mold in Philippine retail by, like Furne, giving the market something to aspire for and look forward to.
The collaboration yielded more than just a well-attended fashion show held at the Manila Peninsula last Nov. 8 –– now Bench has a new designer perfume, Unholy, which is a lot like the collection of nude, black and red couture wear presented at the show. A feminine, luxe citrus with floral mid-notes that set into a heady musk, Unholy is as much a pleasure to sniff as the designer’s show was to watch. He says he drew inspiration from Madonna, who famously said in so many permutations that, “In order to see the light, you have to go through the darkness.” The result is a collection that he describes as more intriguing, haunting, and thought-provoking than anything he’s ever done before.
“The collection is all about pleasure. It was an investigation of fetish, of provocation, of the lines between holy and unholy,” said Furne.
The show started with a parade of nude gowns, most with high, regal necklines and structured bodices, in mixed fabrics like tulle, thick lace and brocade. Webbed crystals, acrylic beads and metallic wings adorned the sexy, beastly black pieces that followed. The designer closed his collection with color –– the most primal shade of red, made feminine with petal or feather-like embellishments against a nude palette. The footwear, stilettos on four-to five-inch platforms by local shoe designer Nereku, also decorated accordingly, completed each look. The runway, flanked by two rotating discs, presented the models in a ritual-like scene, each one moving to neo-gothic music with a ghostly lightness, under the direction of Ariel Lozada. Raina Hein of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14 and the face of Unholy presented the last piece –– an ethereal tulle, lace and brocade gown in nude.
Unholy is Furne Onè’s third scent launched this year for Bench, following his Beautiful Boy and Handsome Girl. Furne Onè for Bench scents are available at all Bench stores.
