PARIS — "Fashion is the only thing that can travel ... from the old world to the new," proclaimed Karl Lagerfeld. And on the second day of haute couture shows, Chanel's showman couturier made his point with aplomb: he delivered the words from the stage of an old, decayed opera house standing next to pop star Rihanna.
As ever, the master designer stole the show, with Tuesday's most impressive couture display. His creations glittered in dramatic contrast with the broken-down theater, recreated inside Paris' Grand Palais. Faded grimy curtains, old wooden stalls, and some classic clothing styles mixed alongside futuristic streaks of silver embroideries and cosmic-looking hats. Fashion, it seemed to say, lives in the past and the future.
A similar message ran throughout the day of shows, with Italian designer Giorgio Armani delivering a stylish collection that evoked the sensuality of old Hollywood while still remaining modern. Stephane Rolland, too, cited old masters such as Velazquez as muses for a strong show, but pulled off looks with a modern elegance.
Haute couture itself dates back over 150 years and is steeped in history. But the hurdle for designers is to keep the looks fresh while also keeping the artisan-based method of making clothes alive and relevant.
CHANEL
The setting saw Lagerfeld carry off a dark, expressionist-tinged fall-winter 2013 collection, which began with an image of a futuristic metropolis beamed onto the old, nostalgic theatre wall.
When the models appeared, the contrasts continued: the first chic series of A-line skirt suit-styles were twinned with Grace Jones-style space-age hair. Intergalactic square hats that were attached at the back of the head seemed to float like a geometric halo, in a great anachronism.
The 67 very wearable looks had some notable features, such as wide, often shiny, belt bands that strapped across at the hip, and mosaic patterns. Instead of boots, Lagerfeld put legs inside "stocking shoes," attached up the leg with a garter like lingerie. Jackets sometimes had strong, menswear shoulders which contrasted with tight feminine dress sleeves. And skirts were layered upon skirts to produce different directions of movement.
