Chanel Métiers d'Art Paris-Salzburg Pre-Fall 2015
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The air was crisp and the sun has gone to bed only leaving a trace of pink in it’s sky. Romantic candlelight danced across the pond in front of Schloss Leopoldskron and the mystical fog painted the scenery with a soft hue, as if in a wonderful, magical dream. Behind the Rococo mansion, you could see the silhouettes of the mountaintops and the Festung Hohensalzburg, which seemed to look down with pride as it’s quaint city of Salzburg has become the world’s stage for the couture masterpiece led by the one of a kind genius Karl Lagerfeld. Of course Salzburg is a cultural mecca, as being the home of Mozart and the iconic Festspiele, but what makes this city so special is it’s authenticity, tradition, and gemütlichkeit which is so obvious through it’s people, nature, food, architecture, and traditional fashion. Enjoy a Wiener Schnitzel at the Goldener Hirsch or simply talk with the local people at Cafe Bazaar, and you will understand what I mean… This feeling cannot be put into words, but Mr. Lagerfeld again challenged the impossible and translated this warmhearted emotion into the Paris- Salzburg Métiers d’Art collection.
The collection was a fresh interpretation of traditional Tyrollean Tracht with elements of Rococo, equating to a modern balance between Parisian extravagance and Salzburg tradition. Unlike the hyper-commercialized, over the top Victoria's Secret show (also presented on December 2nd) filled with balloons and glitter galore, Lagerfeld complimented his clothing by creating an elegant, tranquil atmosphere in the heart of Schloss Leopoldskron, which reminded me of a luxurious, comfortable living room where family and friends gather, exchange stories, drink tea, and reminisce of a time way back when... Such memories of long ago are reincarnated through the 80+ looks (!!) Reincarnation can be found through the concentration of the mood of [Austria] the country, the reincarnation of the Imperial couple, and the jacket states Lagerfeld about his short film, but is also clearly seen throughout the entire collection.
"The rebirth of a soul into a new body" immediately struck me in look 14, where Lederhosen, traditionally worn by a man the rural terrain, are worn as feminine mini shorts and would suit in any major metropolitan. The lederhosen are combined with an extremely comfortable looking sweater, sequenced choker necklace (made to look like embroidery) and a stunning bright red coat which I am sure can be spotted even from the top of the Untersberg! The loden green socks and the edelweiss loafers add a contrasting color and manage to look traditional, but not kitschy!
Naturally, if there is a centerpiece to this collection it is the jacket, inspired by a Bell Hop Coco Chanel saw in a hotel in the Salzburg countryside. The jacket was interpreted from a 3D meadow (looking like "flying fur" according to Lagerfeld) to a traditional grey Loden Jacket with colorful stitching, to the classic Chanel silhouette jacket in a plethora of colors.
[/av_textblock][/av_one_half][av_one_half min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' custom_margin='' margin='0px' padding='0px' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' background_color='' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat'][av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='']Here it is interpreted in blue and adds structure to the loose-fitting, folklore dress. As for the braided earmuffs... Fantastic! They add a touch of humor and play on the cliché representation of Mittleeuropa. Along with the lederhosen satchel, it will be sure to be a must have accessory for Pre-Fall 2015 (in stores from May 2015)
My personal favorite ensemble was look 39 worn by Cara Delevingne. The outfit being the same color of an Austrian summer sky made me immediately smile. At first glance, she looked like a young child on her way to school, with her edelweiss stitched satchel and Mary Jane shoes. The stitches on the cardigan almost looked like they were sewn with love and care- like from a mother or grandmother- wanting to add something unique to a plain cardigan. The retro pins on the bag transmitted a romantic nostalgia, but also youthful decoration. This look effected me personally as someone from Salzburg; it was authentic, comfortable, and traditional.
The traditional Austrian dirndl was reinvented through a Parisian lens, and was shown to have a sleeker silhouette- a key taken from Coco Chanel abandoning the corset- and modern contrasts of black and incorporating elements of leather, sprinkling an edgy "rock and roll" to a classic, polite, feminine dress.
Concluding the almost 20 minute spectacle was the reincarnated Empress Sisi who had her Victorian ballgown tailored to fit the 21st Century through the black and white legacy of Chanel. Although the dress is not as easily wearable as the other pieces, it captured the emotion reflected by the location and the personality of Sisi as a modern women. The look was playful and romantic, thanks to the oversized bow and billowing layers, yet also rebellious with the mesh, cut off evening gloves, showing off Delevingne's iconic lion tattoo on her forefinger. Also contributing to this idea of rebellion would be the hairstyles of the models. When asked, renowned hairstylist Sam McKnight stated that the inspiration was drawn upon the Victorian aged romance of Sisi, the seduction of Brigitte Bardot, and the casual low maintenance of today's girls. I find any hairstyle more complex would steal your eyes away from the intricate detail from each look!
Paris-Salzburg will be remembered for generations to come for its traditional authenticity, grand beauty and the soaring depth of inspiration, history, and emotion invested with each piece. It was a triumph and emotionally touched us all, and it fills me with happiness to hear Mr. Lagerfeld seemed to be completely at peace with his past, present, and future, as Tim Blanks of Style.com beautifully recalls.
As a Salzburg native, it was a pleasure to welcome Chanel to my city and an honor to witness such beautiful genius. Danke Schön!
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