If you’re wondering why this year’s Chanel couture show had monumental animal sculptures gathered in the center of the runaway, just surf pictures of Coco Chanel’s apartment in Paris and you’ll find the answer right away.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
Inspired by the mythical animal sculptures inside Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment at 31, rue Cambon, in Paris, the Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection imagined by Virginie Viard reveals embroideries of exquisite lightness.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
As if on a village square, and looking like a surreal zoo, the stage is set for a show. Created by artist Xavier Veilhan, eleven monumental animals made of wood, cardboard and paper revealed models one-by-one wearing demure glitter tweed suits. Drama came with a light touch, in circus-master top hats and bow ties worn as chokers.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
Focusing on embroidery and the animal world, the collection feature animal emblems on playful designs with classic motifs. Patterns embroidered on short tweed suits and coat dresses include kittens, corgis, rabbits and swallows sharing the limelight with the doves, stags or camellias emblematic of the House.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
That was followed by varieties of abbreviated, gilded Chanel tweeds: a short trapeze coat, de-frumpified box-pleated skirts cut as minis, and then a tiny sugar-pink coat-dress with a stand-away collar. It was a bit ’60s Mod maybe, but not too obviously.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
The collection switched from short and playful daywear to long and sleek evening wear. Within this sequence, there was a chic, neat, parma-violet short sleeved tweed coat, worn with white leather opera gloves, and long, body-skimming dresses in tiny polka dots, and black or white lace.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya
The show closed with a fairytale bride coming out from a hidden door in the elephant, wearing a little white dress entirely covered with embroidered doves and a white bow tie, It was a dreamy moment, simple yet charming.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sawaya