Chanel: 2015 Pre-Fall Metiers D’Art show in Salzburg, Austria
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:35
Once again, Chanel invites us to wander through time, history and culture – this time in Austria, through its Metiers D’Art Paris-Salzburg 2015 collection, revealed on December 2nd.
Every year, Chanel’s Metiers d’Art show takes place in a different location around the world to pay tribute to the craftsmanship of the workshops that bring Chanel’s collections to the runway. After a series of inspiring and successful shows in Moscow, Byzance, Bombay and Dallas – and for it’s 11th year running – Chanel took us to Salzburg for its Pre-Fall 2015 Metiers d’Art show.
The Austrian city was already an appropriate fairy-tale backdrop, but Lagerfeld amplified it and offered his guests a royal court treatment. The show took place at Schloss Leopoldskron, the 18th century castle acclaimed for its rococo architecture and romantic view of the lake, Leopoldskroner Weiher. Perfectly complimenting the location, the venue was decorated with eighteenth century chairs and sofas, marble fireplaces with lit candles and majestic tables.
As for the clothes – with the iconic Chanel palette of white, red, navy and black mixed with alpine hues – the collection was a display of the majestic realm, mixing fabrics from leather, tweed, felt, lace and other elements. Giving a modern touch to Tyrolean and Austrian tradition, the Kaiser played with the idea of dirndls, lederhosen and other elements in his own unique way of course.
It was not surprising to see jackets and coats dominating the collection this year as Mademoiselle Gabriel Chanel had a close connection with Austria. It was here where she patterned the iconic Chanel jacket after falling in love with the lift boy’s uniform at Salzburg Mittersill hotel. This story has also served as the backdrop for the latest video ‘Reincarnation’ by Karl Lagerfeld, featuring Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams, of which the full length version was revealed yesterday.
Key highlights of the collection included a classic Chanel ivory tweed jacket with four pockets teamed with wool trousers, a long embroidered jacket with full collar, and an embroidered leather jacket worn with a pleated leather skirt.
This was probably the most commercial collection from the Metiers d’Art, featuring pieces that are wearable for countryside lunches and parties – and why should such pieces be left in fantasy land, they are bound to be brought into the real world.
Heena Paryani
