The Little Black Jacket in the Little Red Dot: Karl Lagerfeld for CHANEL exhibition

CHANEL’s travelling photographic art exhibition has finally landed in Southeast Asia. The show, whose first edition has been on the road since 2012, was brought to life by the vision by CHANEL’s own Creative Director – and in this case photographer –  Karl Lagerfeld and styled by Vogue Paris’ former Editor-in-Chief Carine Roitfeld.

The new edition of “The Little Black Jacket” includes 21 new profiled personalities, amongst one hundred celebrities portrayed within the fashion, art and music industries –  all of course shot while clad in Chanel’s iconic Little Black Jacket.

Celebrity Spotting

The glamorous entrance of Singapore’s Art Science museum, within the grounds of Marina Bay Sands was packed with not only the who’s who in the Singaporean fashion scene, but also with celebrities and personalities who flew to the little red dot especially for this occasion.

While stunning – former Victoria’s Secret Angel- Karolina Kurkova (photo, right) fiercely strode across the exhibition halls, followed by cameras, many of the portrayed subjects chatted while sipping Perrier-Jouët and swapping stories and opinions on the art pieces.

And amongst a sea of tweed jackets, quilted lambskin flap bags, everyone understood the unspoken dress code: wear something CHANEL – even if it is just the scent!- and keep it black and white.

And there it was: a black and white suited crowd.

Amongst the models portrayed and present at the event there were Singapore own Sheila Sim, Fiona Fussi, Thai Champoo Araya, Taiwanese-Italian Liv Lo, Chinese Ju Xiao Wen, strawberry blonde South Korean Soo Joo and actress Song Hye Kyo, who is the face off the official “rollerblade poster” for the Singapore exhibition.

Actress Alma Jodorowsky –granddaughter of inspired philosopher Alexandro Jodorowsky- also attended the opening night and posed next to her portrait.

Other notable VIPs were radio DJs Rosalyn Lee and Bobby Tonelli, host Henry Golding and opinion leaders Sarah Tan, Ashley Bei and Renée Lorentzen.

Why you should go

The exhibition is a true celebration of diversity and individuality. A peephole into each personality’s interpretation of the iconic Little Black Jacket as relieved through the eyes of Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld.

The permutations of the jacket make it an iconic piece to have in the wardrobe and a timeless piece to be immortalised as art. The look is ever fresh, ever personal and “evergreen”.

Moving the eyes from one image to the next, the jacket takes on a new meaning in time, following the age and fashion trends portrayed; moving from one nationality to the next, the jacket changes national identity and moulds onto that new culture; moving from one gender to the next, the jacket is mutable and adaptable.

However worn, The Little Black Jacket is essential.

Although, we can’t help but wonder: Where is the BLACK in Keira Knightley’s Little Black Jacket?

Chanel’s The Little Black Jacket exhibition is running at the Singapore Art Science Museum until January 1^st 2014 (10am-7pm Daily). Admission is free.

 

Lilyth Compostella

Photos: Chanel