The *last* (and the latest) Chambre du Chocolat dress by Eshi Otawara

October 15, 2008, 4:40pm SLT Update: Eshi informs me that the Samurai-in-the-Storm sold out in 15 seconds.


I can identify a Chambre du Chocolat dress 512m away... they are that different and that iconic. All of the dresses - wearable art, every one of them - from Eshi Otawara's label have always been at the pinnacle of NPIRL chic, and are searchable in one's inventory under the initials CDC.

Now Eshi has announced plans to put the last limited release dress to be issued under the Chambre du Chocolat label on the market: Samurai-in-the-Storm. The dress was inspired by a painting she did in Real Life in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita in 2005. "From my experiences came the courage to inspire and adorn, to delight the senses and surprise the eye; from tragedy arises beauty," says Eshi.

And so it seems that the CDC label will cause quite a stir from the first to the last. Her earliest release was the Fishook dress which recently sold at auction by the Designers in Seclusion team to benefit the Relay for Life fundraiser for the impressive sum of L$460,000.

"The Samurai-in-the-Storm is my rendering of a samurai spirit, and envelops the wearer with both the strength of armour (the corset) and the power of nature, as seen in the waves rising from the lower part of the dress. Raindrops caught in the wind encircle the wearer, demonstrating the fortitude of the samurai to overcome obstacles, no matter the nature of them," she explained.



Photography courtesy of Chambre du Chocolat

Only seven of these dresses will be created. One has already been spoken for, one will be set aside for a future auction, and the remaining five will be made available for purchase for L$25,000, making them quite rare.

The new label for her future creations will be known simply as Eshi Otawara. I'm going to love that when I look for her things in my inventory.