CHANEL Fall /Winter 2017
Lagerfeld's new show shouts Vive la France!
“It’s a vision of a revived Parisian woman, it is all about cut, shapes, silhouettes.”—Karl Lagerfeld
In the shadow of the most recognizable landmark in Paris—perhaps even the world—designer Karl Lagerfeld presents his Fall-Winter 2017-18 Haute Couture show for Chanel. While it’s only a replica of The Eiffel Tower inside the Grand Palais, where the show takes place, it’s a timeless message that Karl is sending: Paris was, is, and always will be, the center of the fashion world.
As A-list stars like Tilda Swinton, Kristen Stewart, Katy Perry, and Chanel ambassador Pharrell, fan themselves in the warm sunlight, 64 stunning costumes stroll by as if on a leisurely walk down the Champs-Élysées at the turn of the century…the LAST century.
Long, lean suits reminiscent of late 19th Century suffragettes in serious and somber tones of grey and more grey open the show, melding into silky, low-slung flapper dresses in black and navy with Chanel braids and giant silk flower dotting the necklines of the pale-skinned models, as well as their mid-calf hems. Flirty can-can skirts with bits of seductive black tulle peeking out of the bottoms of structured poofy hems, nicely contrast the elegant ensembles sprouting exotic feather aigrettes at the shoulders.
Each of the outfits is matched with either 1920’s-styled ankle boots or super sexy thigh-high black patent leather boots, all with clear Lucite heels. And the final Chanel touch: the newly resurrected and about-to-be-seen-everywhere classic Boater (made famous by Coco herself) created in the matching wools and leathers of the clothing.
The final design to emerge on the runway—the piece de resistance—is, of course, the long, white dress of love. And this year, Karl’s design is particularly engaging. In what could easily be imagined on an early 20th Century Queen, the bell-shaped white silk confection floats down the aisle on a cloud of silk flowers. Single or married, every woman at that show was fantasizing about her wedding day dressed in that spectacular gown. Vive l’amore! Vive la France!
Below are the videos from the show and an interview with the designer himself, Karl Lagerfeld.