Chanel celebrates Paris
Mirroring the nostalgic Parisian decor, the French fashion house’s 67 accomplished looks came in the colours of the city
Paris — the City of Light, lovelocks and the Seine River — was the backdrop Tuesday in Chanel’s sublime couture collection that showed designer Karl Lagerfeld is still at the top of his game at 84.
Penelope Cruz, Pharrell Williams and Lily Allen applauded after the cinematic runway display in which the French fashion house painstakingly recreated a Parisian cityscape — all inside the nave of the Grand Palais.
No detail was spared: from the padlocks on the Pont des Arts bridge to the surrounding riverside booksellers (with Chanel-themed literature).
But this fall-winter season, couture was the true star of the show.
Mirroring the nostalgic Parisian decor, Chanel’s 67 accomplished looks came in the colours of the city.
Light gray stood for zinc rooftops, anthracite for roads and gold and silver — so said the programme — for “reflections of the moon in the rippling Seine.” Pinks and mauves reflected sunrise. White and beige captured the French capital’s annoyingly changeable weather.
But it wasn’t just in the colour. The myriad interlocking crystal embroideries were said to mirror cobblestones and the netted tulle that was embroidered with gold aimed to capture the lovers’ padlocks on the Pont des Arts (that were famously banned by Paris authorities).
These poetical explanations were nice but unnecessary for a collection that didn’t need any gimmicks to impress. Lagerfeld has raised the bar this season.