“To be or not to be” Thursday (Madame Frumsetta)

Ei Alteta Contesa Nikoliana Doamna z Frumusete Knyaginya de Bo’hemia. This is the full title and style, in her native Syldavian tongue, of the person we know as Madame Frumsetta. Yes Madame Frumsetta the international couturier to Queens of state and stage. In English is would read, Her Illustrious Highness Countess Nicole Doamna Frumsette, Princess of Bo’hemia.

Madame Frumsetta poses in "welcome" at her Swann Studios.

By birth Madame Frumsetta is technically what we would refer to as a Royal Countess or Princess of the Blood in a Sovereign County. The former independant Royal County of Bo’hemia now falls in the restored Kingdom of Syldavia following the revolution and has become a province of Syldavia in the same fashion as the former Kingdom of Serbieski. With the restoration it has been agreed that Serbieski and Bo’hemia would be mediatised to non-independant Noble status. This means that the head of the former Royal Houses will not rule in their own right but will enjoy legal Noble status based on the former title with uniquely high precedence afforded above other Nobility. All this might sound very interesting, complicated and important but Madame Frumsetta does not care for titles and has not shown interest in claiming her right to the aforementioned status. She prefers being an international player and could be seen as Queen of fabric, lace and style. It is for this reason that she has never attended a formal Royal event but rather we get to see her creations in her absence but who knows what the future holds?

Madame Frumsetta has studios in the Big Apple, Pariseum and in the Swann capital and counts among her clients, Queen Gloria of Normandia, the new Queen of Syldavia and the Crown Princess Imperial. It is rumoured that she will be responsible for the dress to be worn by the new Queen of Syldavia at the upcoming Investiture.

Despite her Noble heritage by blood, Madame Frumsetta is of humble Gypsy upbringing. This is due to two reasons. The Royal House of Bo’hemia was by tradition of Gypsy origin and culturally held a semi-gypsy lifestyle and traditional culture. It was the only “moving” court in Europa with the Count of Bohemia travelling his nation in a sort of Circus/tent style procession. The family never owned a Palace in the 210 years of their dynastic existence, preferring what came to be affectionately known as "The Counts Caravan". Secondly the revolution expelled her family from the then new democratic Republic of Syldavia, which absorbed the small region even though the locals were in favour of them staying. They were then relegated to a true Gypsy lifestyle travelling with other gypsies in the rural areas of Franconia presenting real circus acts in the former Royal Tent. This restored some of the family wealth but never the dignity. Madame Frumsetta decided to make a name for herself and set out to use what finances were available in order to live her dream of being a fashion and costume designer.

One of the gypsy caravans that formed part of the State Moving Court. It survived the expulsion of the Royal Family and has since been kept in the Syldavian Museum of History.

Her talent swiftly carved a niche in the film and theatre industries in Americania. Soon her talent was also required in Europa but she never fully hit the fashion set until 2010 when a very famous Gloria van der Bilt walked into her Swann Studio. The slightly eccentric and self assured Gloria came with an obvious, due to press, request which at the same time was astronomically unbelievable to Madame Frumsetta. Gloria was the new Queen of Normandia and required an Investiture Dress of State. She demanded that the dress would capture the sober majesty of the event, combined with a respectful hint of Normandia’s medieval history and that it would at the same time not ignore Gloria’s modern and funky identity and that using the national colour of light blue was a strict requirement. Not a tall order? It was dumbfounding also considering that the deadline was no less than three months. The result put the designer on the international map forever. Her understanding of theatre combined with her understanding of eccentric client requirements and produced a dress of historic proportions.

The preliminary design sketch for the Normandian Investiture Dress. 

Fitting a Faux fur to one of her clients, in this case the Duchess d'Giorgio.

Madame Frumsetta has excelled in her passion. She sees it as preceding her need to make a living and even as preceding skill as she believes that passion overrides money and drives skill to its max. We hope to see far more from her and cannot wait to see if she secured the Syldavian Investiture Dress order. Good luck Nicole.