It was an atmosphere of calm and serenity at the Grand Palais where the Chanel spring/summer 2016 haute couture collection was held. It was quite the opposite to Karl Lagerfeld’s last show that replicated a hectic busy airport. Now the setting was a lush green lawn, a minimalist garden with water lily ponds, a slatted wood pavilion and blue skies.
Wood chips were used as beading, paillettes, and 3-D frills among techniques involving recycled paper and organic woven yarn. Lightweight materials and natural colours defined this bucolic springtime wardrobe where embroidery composed from fragments and shavings of wood mingled with bees embroidered onto tulle or mounted as costume jewellery. Beige, so emblematic of the house holds pride of place, “Gabrielle Chanel was the Queen of beige”, stated Lagerfeld who showcased a large palette of beiges: ecru, ivory, sand, dove, putty, taupe and mocha.
The models meandered through this islet of greenery with hair coiled into chignons and cork platform two-tone shoes on their feet. Around their waists they had a smartphone pouch to match their outfit. “The starting point for this collection was the silhouette,” declared Lagerfeld. Playing with inverted volumes, he focused on short tweed jackets with oval sleeves, worn with long pencil skirts, or fitted jackets coupled with full skirts or flared culottes. With every passing look, the delicacy of the materials were illustrated on blouses, skirts and ethereal dresses. Chiffon was deftly worked into flat, “drum”, “peacock” or “January” pleats, while lamé organza was twisted into regular pleats.
The dreamy wedding look was a tufted hoodie, dress, and train that was made from wild cotton. For evening, flecks of gold were blended into the suiting. There was an incredible jacket and skirt made completely of gold and black geometric paillettes. For evening, strapless dresses or trousers with a train were complimented by painted capes with rhinestones, wide-cut boleros or embroidered jackets, and there were satin charmeuse dresses, backless or with a plunging décolleté. The ode to nature continued with a dress whose sleeves are embroidered with feathered bees, a countrified dress embroidered with little flowers and a sheath dress embroidered with wooden birds.
Finally, the bride appeared dressed in a dreamy geometric lace strapless dress embroidered with bursts of chiffon, leather, wood shavings, beads and rhinestones. She was kept warm by a hooded jacket with a train, all made from wild cotton.
