Kalistan

[Doc]

Kalistani News in Brief: Princess Victoria marries in Eveari;
Kalistan returns to Xsampa; Sulari Fashion moves away from Couture
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 1, 5733


Miguel Coronado-Ruz with Princess Victoria Ananto-Rosenfeld in Eveari

Princess Victoria marries in Eveari
Her Highness, Princess Victoria Ananto-Rosenfeld, youngest sister of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor William II Ananto, has married her fiance of a year and a half, Mr. Miguel Coronado-Ruz, who is a director with the National Theater Company in Kaliburg. The two were married at the ancient Eveari Meeting House in Eveari County. In attendance were His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, Princess Consort Casey Leigh-Campbell and the two minor princelings, Princess of the Empire Carolina Ananto-Connor and Prince Elliot Rosenfeld, parents of the Princess, her sister, Princess Jennifer Ananto-Rosenfeld, her adopted aunt Princess Melanie Ananto-McLinn, other members of House Ananto, as well as the Groom's family, Mr. Antonio Coronado, himself a veteran stage actor and Ms. Katrina Ruz, the famous mezzo-soprano who sang for the Imperial Opera in Sulari for ten years, along with Diego Coronado-Ruz, the well known soap opera star and Mr. Coronado-Ruz's younger brother. Others from the Eveari Meeting also travelled to the old Meeting House, which was preserved as a historic building and used for special events, when the Eveari Meeting moved to larger facilities in the City in the 4200s.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, and consisted of a normal Brethrenist Meeting for Worship with concern to Marriage. The Princess is a devout Brethrenist, raised very strongly in the Faith and Practice by her Mother the Princess of the Empire. Mr. Coronado-Ruz identifies as "non-Practicing Aurorian" and said that in practice, he's more of an agnostic. House Ananto determined that this was not a serious conflict: The couple plan to raise their children in the Brethrenist community. According to Lady Jennifer Ananto-Rosenfeld, Mr. Coronado has been to Brethrenist meetings in the past, and conducted himself appropriately during the Marriage meeting.

The reception was held at Ananto Estate, where the community was invited to greet the newlywed couple. Several hundred Eveari residents trekked out to Ananto Estate for the party, and local band The Goats played for the event. People being introduced to Mr. Coronado found him to be a very thoughtful and ambitious man with a good sense of humor, and to be a good match for the creative Princess. In celebration of the marriage, House Ananto made a donation of K$40 million Imperial Pesos in the Princess' name, to the National Theater Company to underwrite the next three seasons of performances and to encourage theater attendance through lower ticket prices. "You may consider this donation our part to keep your husband employed," said Lady Jennifer Ananto-Rosenfeld to the Princess during her toast to the newly married couple.

Kalistan returns to Xsampa
Continuing its effort to restore normal and friendly relations with Xsampa following the Custodian crisis, reps from His Imperial Majesty's Foreign and Trade Ministries flew to Xsampa last month to discuss the restoration of the status quo ex ante with Xsampan Counterparts. "We are happy to report that the Xsampans have shown their willingness to restore normal relations with our nation, several years after the constitutional crisis within the nation has been resolved," said delegation leader Mark Newton, who serves as undersecretary for Central Dovani affairs at the Foreign Ministry. "We expressed His Imperial Majesty's regret for the strain in relations around the crisis, and said it was his desire that Kalistan and Xsampa restore our traditional friendly diplomatic and trade postures."

The early details of the talks include a restoration of trade, travel and cultural exchange between the two nations. "Xsampa was one of the primary foreign consumers of Kalistani aluminum, while we imported some EVs from the nation as well as being the primary buyer of their ethically sourced gemstones, mostly rubies. We expressed that we would like these ties restored at somewhat higher levels than before, as well as a desire to take part in Xsampa's Diamond sales with the aim of purchasing not only bulk industrial diamonds, but fine gemstone quality rough stones as well. Talks were very promising."

The Foreign Ministry expressed optimism in the discussions, and offered a very rare word of praise for a communist state. "Xsampa is and has always been a trustworthy state. We feel that their regime shows a genuine concern for the well being for their people and their workers, and we would argue that their nation represents a standard that other communist nations should strive to achieve," said His Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister Sir Miguel Ontiveros, during recent comments on the floor of the National Assembly. "If a nation has to be communist, they would do the world, and themselves, a favor to be a bit more like Xsampa."

Sulari Fashion moves away from Couture
The Sulari Fashion Houses seem to be moving away from Couture, at least in women's style, said fashion columnist Mimi Hendricks. "Well, people seem to like what they see in the press, and in Kalistan at least, much of the general consumption press is dominated with photos of Ananto women. While Carolina was rarely seen in public out of couture, even later in her reign, she began wearing more loosely fitting linens and lighterweight wools, as opposed to her very conservative high collar perfectly tailored couture styles of the earlier part of her reign. That trend is being carried forward about ten steps with the Princess Consort's, and the two Ananto Princess' more laid back fashion sensibilities. And women across the nation appear to be following suit, no pun intended."

Hendricks says that new linen and linen-cotton blends are being preferred not only by mass consumers, but also by the fashion houses in Suldanor. "We are seeing lighter weight wools too for winter weather. The weaves are becoming a bit loser, so they fit different body sizes, necklines are going down a little ways and even the ladies with fuller figures, similar to the Princess Consort are not afraid to show off a little bit. These new flirty, comfortable fashions are becoming more popular as fashion sensibility begins representing a sunnier, more flowy, warmer feel that is embodied by the Countess of Sulari's personal style, rather than the heavier, more buttoned up, smoother silhouettes that are more popular along Ananto's north coast, where it rains for almost half a year."

Casa del Valle has introduced a line of lightweight hemp-linen calico for winter already, which is a radical departure from its traditional heavier wool weaves, and while Casa Cultura Grande is still using wool, the blends and weaves are lighter weight so they fit looser on a woman's figure than they had in the past. "Women are breathing again," said Hendricks, "and quite frankly its about time. The clothes look good, they feel good, and they emphasize a femininity that is fun and active. This is a departure from the far more conservative, prim and almost monastic trends of Kalistani fashion over the past few decades. We expect these trends to firmly take hold across the nation as the ladies come out of winter bundling against the damp cold next spring. Then Kalistan will bloom like a beautiful garden."

Men's fashion, said Hendricks, remains "locked down. Though," she added, "there is a move to lighter wools even in men's suits, and we are starting to see corduroys appear. That's an interesting development." Hendricks said that the Emperor was recently photographed in a dark gray corduroy suit. "It sent a mini shockwave through the men's fashion aisle at stores in Kalistan when it happened."

@TheRepublic