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Under the soaring glass ceiling of the Grand Palais, Chanel's
Winter 2015 show was staged in an elaborate pop-up restaurant,
complete with surly Parisian waiters in black waistcoats and
white shirts and a bar serving champagne and coffee.
Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld showcased dresses and coats
worn by models flitting in and out of the "Brasserie Gabrielle",
ordering coffee or perusing newspapers.
"It's the daily life of a certain category of people," Lagerfeld
explained after the show. "This is down-to-earth daily life - in
certain circumstances."
The effect was reinforced by the hard-boiled eggs, croissants
and plates of olives and radishes laid out on the bar of the
brasserie named after the label's late founder Coco Chanel,
whose real first name was Gabrielle.
The saucy and sparkling collection celebrated both the couture
house's archives and the German designer's penchant for novel,
modern fabrics and textures.
Besides showcasing an array of Chanel staples -- slimly tailored
knit suit jackets paired with pleated or cigarette skirts --
Lagerfeld had some fun playing with puckering.
Sleeves of jackets became armor-like as they were covered with
hundreds of crinkly tucks, giving volume and modernity to the
otherwise traditional shapes.
Lagerfeld said he wanted to "give a new touch to the little
black dress" with a series of sheer black silk cocktail dresses
lined in nude. Sleeveless and feminine, they came with modified
Peter Pan collars or bows at the shoulder.
Guests lingered afterwards, hesitant to leave the festive
atmosphere of the brasserie. One barman said models do indeed
eat, as he had served a croissant to one of them in the show.
As for his modeling debut? "We had a great time," he laughed,
wiping down the copper bar one last time.
(Additional reporting by Johnny Cotton; Editing by Raissa
Kasolowsky)
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