Never one to do things by halves, Karl Lagerfeld created a living, breathing forest in Paris’s Grand Palais today.
For the set for his latest Chanel couture show, the designer imported trees from across France and used them to line the catwalk of the enormous auditorium.
Of course this being a Chanel show, this woodland scene was far from ordinary. But rather, a mystical, romantic idyll in which models including Stella Tennant and Cara Delevingne strolled among the trees as if returning from an enchanted soirée.
Transporting those attending this week’s couture shows away from the icy January winds and off into a midsummer’s night’s dream of their own, Lagerfeld juxtaposed decadent hedonism with the beauty of the natural world with a collection which is set to delight Chanel’s high-paying clients.
Acutely aware of the demand for Chanel’s signature bouclé suit, classic suiting played a key role in this show. Transformed for a younger and perhaps more glamorous couture customer, jackets with exaggerated boater necklines came cinched in at the waist while Lagerfeld also experimented with a longer, calf-length skirt.
Some featured shimmering diamond buttons while others were worn with hand-embroidered lace tights. Apparently more commerically aware than ever, the designer also unveiled a series of perfectly cut loose-fitting tabard dresses which came in black and rich navy lace.
When it came to eveningwear, Lagerfeld upped the ante somewhat. Imagining the finer points of nature as his inspiration, the designer detailed voluminous balloon shaped dresses with sprays of poppies created from intricate beading work and attached thousands of silk petals to bustling floor length gowns. A light, airy palette of taupe, ivory and minty green was lent spice via vivacious hues of red, zesty lemon and tomato red.
Flowing bird’s feathers were worn as headdresses and relied on to add plumage to gowns. Among the show’s stand-out pieces was a masterfully created lace and feather gown which came detailed with tiny shimmering crystals.
The red-carpet ready gowns delighted London-based Rita Ora and actress Diane Kruger who watched from the front-row.
