Showmanship is now as synonymous with the Chanel catwalk as the familiar tweeds and other sartorial tropes we associate with the esteemed French house. But today in Paris, creative director Karl Lagerfeld took the concept of the runway show to new heights, literally, transforming the Grand Palais into a space station complete with a life-size, fully launching Chanel rocket ship.
The galactic-inspired set was inhabited by space age-styled models dressed in futuristic metallics. A sheepskin-trimmed leather coat and two-piece skirt suit, both finished in silver, were the standout looks for those wishing to fully embrace the astro-spirit. But there were also plenty of separates, glitter rich accessories and tactile trims that spoke to Lagerfeld’s stellar new season vision.
Delicate knits were threaded with shimmering lurex or featured bold, planetary prints. Woollen arm warmers glistened with sequins, and each look was paired with knee-length glitter boots complete with contrasting patent toe caps. Quilted oversized shawls-come-blankets in metallic finishes also adorned a trio of Karl Lagerfeld’s star-ship troopers.
For Chanel traditionalists there were also plenty of the brand’s signature classics to covet, the aforementioned boots updating the two-piece tweed suit, and mid-length city shorts paired with more familiar pea coats and under funnel-neck shift dresses.
It’s hard to imagine how Karl Lagerfeld can better this season’s mega set, but he continues to raise the bar, and expectations, with every collection. As for the clothes, their enduring appeal owes much to its creative director’s innate ability to infuse the luxury brand with contemporary elements and a youthful spirit, without compromising its DNA. For autumn/winter 2017 the futuristic theme alludes to this quest for the new, but firmly grounded in the now.
Photos: theimpression.com / vogue.com