Welcome to little Paris, or what some would call the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017-2018 show. If you’ve never had the chance to visit the Eiffel Tower, then you needn’t worry, as Karl Lagerfeld has exclusively brought it to you amidst Grand Palais’ sumptuous halls. The French designer boasts a very-well acknowledged talent for creating super-venues, but this time around Lagerfeld, in fact, outdid himself.
Models were seemingly streaming through the “Chanel-Tower’s” alleyways in tweed coats with puffy shoulders and greyish tweed ensembles, all of which were tastefully paired with patent leather boots. Lagerfeld explored a more experimental approach, bringing forth gaucho jumpsuits- in tweed of course- and loose wool tuniques adorned with a little black bow. There was some sort of fresh twist to the collection, as fabrics mixed together ever-so perfectly, exploding into a sea of leather and tweed, be it on dresses, under coats or on models’ forearms. Over-the-knee boots added a bit of edge to the House’s elegant legacy, blending perfectly well with the silhouettes’ geometrical lines. Halfway through the show, the color palette shifted from greyish tones to navy hues and finally exploded into Chanel’s chic black signature color- think silk dresses and feather trimmings. Opulent 3D ornamental flowers were literally everywhere, taking over the hems of coats, cascading down dresses, constituting necklines and making for overzealous headpieces.
Yes, elegance reigned and yes, Chanel’s timelessness was more alive than ever. But today, something in particular incited an electrifying wave of shock. Could it be the over-the-top mishmash of styles? Or perhaps it could have been the dreamy ornamental flowers? Either way, the fashion industry was undoubtedly and irrefutably sold.
Cindy Menassa
