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Theia - The Goddess of Light - Gets an Emerald Isle Makeover
Don O'Neill, a household name in the making, found that initial spark of
inspiration for his eveningwear collection - Theia - through Greek
mythology. Theia, one of the original Titans, was the source of all
brilliance, radiating light from her eyes, imbuing golds and silvers with
their glow. Sounds like a natural point of origin for a couturier. This
season, O'Neill went back to his Irish roots for inspiration, even if
accidentally. The Oscar nominated animated film, "The Secret of Kells"
reawakened a long dormant passion in O'Neill, and one that hits very
close to home. Having been inspired by the illuminated manuscript - The
Book of Kells - Ireland's finest national treasure - as a young man, with all
of its unmatched calligraphy, pagan Celtic knots, spirals and interlacing
patterns - O'Neill, now more mature and experienced - found the perfect
way to marry the seemingly isolated conceits of Irish lore and Greek myth.
The gowns and cocktail dresses have lost none of their incandescent
gleaming. If anything, the flights of fancy O'Neill has allowed himself this
go-around have loosened the strict parameters of his aesthetic. It was
long overdue, but Theia can finally ad a dress with sleeves to its archive.
O'Neill stated that he had reservations on executing a short cocktail dress
with sleeves - given that his client-base shies away from sleeves,
thinking them to be all too mumsy for eveningwear. On the contrary, the
3/4 sleeve was one of the freshest and youthful looking garments to
show. A specially made gem-toned swirling brocade featuring spirals
found on the mystical carved entrance stone at Newgrange - an ancient
tomb found in Ireland - was especially impressive. There was a lot to love
here - but the real show-stopper came in the form of a one-shoulder
metallic gold lame gown that has red-carpet written on every seam.
It was masterful.
Don O'Neill, a household name in the making, found that initial spark of
inspiration for his eveningwear collection - Theia - through Greek
mythology. Theia, one of the original Titans, was the source of all
brilliance, radiating light from her eyes, imbuing golds and silvers with
their glow. Sounds like a natural point of origin for a couturier. This
season, O'Neill went back to his Irish roots for inspiration, even if
accidentally. The Oscar nominated animated film, "The Secret of Kells"
reawakened a long dormant passion in O'Neill, and one that hits very
close to home. Having been inspired by the illuminated manuscript - The
Book of Kells - Ireland's finest national treasure - as a young man, with all
of its unmatched calligraphy, pagan Celtic knots, spirals and interlacing
patterns - O'Neill, now more mature and experienced - found the perfect
way to marry the seemingly isolated conceits of Irish lore and Greek myth.
The gowns and cocktail dresses have lost none of their incandescent
gleaming. If anything, the flights of fancy O'Neill has allowed himself this
go-around have loosened the strict parameters of his aesthetic. It was
long overdue, but Theia can finally ad a dress with sleeves to its archive.
O'Neill stated that he had reservations on executing a short cocktail dress
with sleeves - given that his client-base shies away from sleeves,
thinking them to be all too mumsy for eveningwear. On the contrary, the
3/4 sleeve was one of the freshest and youthful looking garments to
show. A specially made gem-toned swirling brocade featuring spirals
found on the mystical carved entrance stone at Newgrange - an ancient
tomb found in Ireland - was especially impressive. There was a lot to love
here - but the real show-stopper came in the form of a one-shoulder
metallic gold lame gown that has red-carpet written on every seam.
It was masterful.
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Theia Women's Eveningwear Collection
By Alexander Patino
POSTED February 9, 2011
