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2 December 2014


Never have I seen, nor expected this much exposure of German press of a Chanel show.






It does happen quite often that the most important representatives of the international fashion indutry has to prepare so meticulously for a single event. For the presentation of Chanel Métiers d'Art collection in Salzburg, 450 customers and journalists from all over the world flew to this alt-modisch city (those who don't attend Victoria's Secret show in London, although for those who got invited to both, it's no brainer that Chanel wins). For two days Chanel people offset the tranquil town center with its catwalk looks and great bags from the last show (super marche, art studio, wind farm) in a state of emergency.

Each year a different place in the world is selected for the vision of the Métiers d'Art, which communicates with the history of Chanel in connection in any way. in 1954, she went holiday to Hotel Schloss Mittersill in Salzburg. In those days she noticed a young bellboy wearing a short Janker, a straight-cut, hip-length jacket from felted wool, the fabric edges in a different color, and the buttons are usually made of metal or horn. The Janker has inspired Chanel to the creation of her well-known garment - the clasic Chanel jacket with four pockets and contrast button. Mr. Lagerfeld told on Monday at dinner that Chanel herself also has reported it that way.

Mr. Lagerfeld himself definitely has its own biographical reference to Salzburg . "My parents had bought stuff as I was a kid," he said after the show. "I indeed did not want look like the other boys."

There is even a pretty good story to get you started in the evening event, for all the guests squeeze with mulled wine in the courtyard of the Restaurant St. Peter. The guests were entertained  by a short film titled "Reincarnation", or rebirth, in the presence of the master who said to have brought his white cat Choupette from Paris. The story of bringing back Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria (coincidentally with nickname Sissi, as the pronounciation of CC, the interlocking Cs of Chanel) to life has similarity with how Mr. Lagerfeld interprets history in his collection; tweaking reference, modifying heritage and make it modern, and of course, a little touch of humour. Geraldine Chaplin plays the role as Coco Chanel very convincingly. Her partner is the American musician superstar Pharrell Williams, which offered a soundtrack for the clip "CC The World", a duet with top model Cara Delevingne dancing as Sissi through the movie.

The morning after, the big reveal: the Castle Leopoldskron was prepared all day long. The main hall, the library and adjoining salon with Rococo objects from all over Europe were decorated.

The collection, which Delevingne and models like Stella Tenannt and Kendall were flown to Salzburg, was so historical to perfectly fit into the setting, and so topical that customers and journalists sigh here and there: ankle-length Loden coats with brocade embroidery, leather hot pants with turtleneck sweaters, blouses with butterfly decor and ruffled stand-up collars - and of course countless interpretations of Chanel jacket. Mr. Lagerfeld obviously also created the costumes for the opera written by Hugo von Hofmannsthal in 1910 "Der Rosenkavalier" (music by Richard Strauss). 15 years ago, he also created silk dresses and a dress coat for Karlheinz Hackl for Hofmannsthal's comedy "Der Schwierige" at the Salzburg Festival.

In addition to that, Karl Lagerfeld has also taken  the trousers of elevator operator's uniform this time. High waist, slightly flared and with contrasting stripes on the side could, no, should actually be a classic from Chanel, because just like the Chanel jacket, the guests seemed to agree on this pants by loudly applauding after the show.




























Photo: Vallerie von Hamburg for signorfandi.com

The collection looks like a summary of his previous collections - Métiers d'Art Dubai, Couture le Corbusier, Super Marche, and Métiers d'Art Texas, and yet, I have never seen Chanel collection, with Tracht and drindl and all those Lederhosen, which is very German like this one.




Signorfandi, super gemacht, Herr Lagerfeldt!