Divine Feminine is in Fashion

The inspiration for this idea came from this year’s red carpet at Cannes, where we see numerous gowns that embody highly feminine, voluminous designs.

It’s not hard to locate this inspiration’s source – it has to be Sumi Jo, the soprano with the voice as clear as spring water: https://youtu.be/wk7-hH-SBhM

No one and no thing can hold a stage like Sumi Jo in her gowns, the largest, most ruched and jewelled dresses ever seen.

While celebrating diversity, let’s not forget the Divine Feminine. If there were a hierarchy of genders it would hold the top. If you care to go deeper, the contemplation / comprehension of the Divine Feminine, praised by poets like Robert Bly and Robert Graves, is thought to open a gateway to the divine spiritual world. The creation of beauty is valued as our highest skill and even mathematical formulas can be rated as beautiful and elegant. But back to gowns, the most sublime creations in the art of fashion.

Sumi Jo is a divinity of the vocal stage. Graduating from opera roles to solo concerts with piano accompaniment to soloist with orchestras, she now appears alone, a featured performer in a huge stage, the set specifically designed for her feature number.

I love the way she sweeps onto the stage along the front of the orchestra, in a massive gown that trails behind. This is important for the audience. It is a cultural form of beauty. Such a contrast to the miserably dreary modern opera sets with street wear or dark punk-rock costumes that offer nothing for the hearts of the viewing public.

Sumi Jo’s gowns deserve a touring museum show. She has maintained her figure so beautifully, the designs have wonderful shape! These are some of the dresses that I might select if I were able to curate that show.

Sumi Jo’s recent designs feature a strapless dress with a wrap on top. The dresses have more structure with embellishments of embroidered applique rather than her former heavy beading. There were two gowns on the red carpet that picked up on this look – Fan Bingbing for the Asian embroidery and Uma Thurman for the off-shoulder coat trailing behind.

If ever a woman wore the title of Diva with full honour, perhaps this is she. Judge for yourself:
Casta Diva – Sumi Jo, Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra and the National Opera House Choir