You know that Chanel fashion brand never visited China. But her passion for Asian themes in old and ancient Chinese culture were the basis for a new extraordinary fashion fantasy, dreamed up by Chanel’s creative director, Karl Lagerfeld. Inspired by his trip to Shanghai by Mme Chanel, Lagerfeld created an exotic scenario for the launch of his latest Métier D’Arts Collection. The idea
He unveiled his collection on an 85 metre-long barge, on the Huangpu river, bordering Shanghai’s famous Bund with high skyscrapers on the background.
More than thirty models came from different countries all over the world to bring Lagerfeld’s Chanel Paris-Shanghai dream to life. It was a kind of a Chanel-spirit interpretation of the “Terracotta Army”, somehow the urban romanticism of Chinese cinema, fancy decadent-chic of 1930s Shanghai.
You could see the museum-piece items pagodas-shaped, the rich, jewel colours and embroideries of the Manchu Dynasty, and even Ming vases. Dresse with structured shoulders and slim waists, demonstrated a modern version of the Mandarin ‘qipao’ gown.
You could also notice Chinese type accessories which included earrings, face-framing hats, embroidered felt “Chinese warrior’ boots, and precious sandals.
The Métier D’Arts collection, now in its eighth edition, sprang from Chanel’s acquisition in 2002 of the seven specialist Parisian ateliers which had collaborated with the house for decades.
A short film to prelude the demonstration,written and directed by Lagerfeld, was screened showing the ‘Coco’s’ trip from her rue Cambon apartment to Shanghai.
Tags: chanel fashion house, karl lagerfeld fashion collection, online fashion store