Karl Lagerfeld’s latest offering for Chanel is an impactful juxtaposition of science and art, proving that there is place for the feminine softness of fashion in the precise and methodical digital world.
Further reinforcing the fact that digital is the way of the future, Chanel coded the sentiment right into its latest spring summer 2017 collection premiered in the Grand Palais Paris.
The historic site itself was transformed into a Chanel ‘Data Centre’ complete with a maze of computer servers beeping and whirring in the background, amidst which models shared the stage with data cables and hazard tapes while security CCTV cameras zoomed in and out on them.
Karl Lagerfeld’s latest offering for Chanel is an impactful juxtaposition of science and art, proving that there is place for the feminine softness of fashion in the precise and methodical digital world. It also homes in on the pop culture prophecy that the geeks are the ones who will take over the world, starting in this case, with high fashion.
The fail-safe structure of the digital world was translated into the house’s traditional tweeds, but reinforced with a fashion firewall of rounded shoulders, long sleeves and wide lapels. Spicing things up were modern details of touch fasteners instead of buttons, threads in colour and material reminiscent of electronic cables, and rubber and vinyl strips woven into tweed cotton.
Taking its ‘Intimate Techonolgy’ theme quite literally, strong pieces were softened with daring show of lingerie. The cold frigid temperatures of the server room were raised with silk and lace negligees peeking out through sheer materials and the occasional low décolleté.
On the colour front, Lagerfeld looked to the boom of the computer age in the 80’s, with electric splashes of blue, red, yellow, punk and purple. Prints borrow heavily from the neon streaks of television from that era while some textured skirts, trousers and jackets showed off the greens, blues and blacks of computer motherboards that was all too apt complete with metallic accents.
Balancing out all the structure were also silk, lace and crepe georgette, feminising pajama pants and masculine coats with ruffles, billowy sleeves, lacy edges and the occasional peplum. They all continue their rendezvous with the digital world with electronic components stand-in sequins, futuristic robot clutches and our favourite of all, big pendant necklaces that are a nod to the ID badges most programmers would be familiar with.
Browse the complete collection at the official website here.
Over at Dior, its new creative director proudly raised the banner on feminism.