VIRGINIE VIARD, THE ‘CHILD OF COCO AND KARL’, HONORS THE METICULOUS WORK OF ARTISANS!

Dear Reader,

The end of the year is the time of seizing the results, setting goals and trends for the New Year! 2019 has been truly rich with wonderful fashion events. Last week, I witnessed one of the most awaited and desired celebrations for fashion lovers including me – THE MÉTIERS D’ART 2019/20 CHANEL SHOW at Le Grand Palais in Paris, France. Today,  I am happy to share with my impressions of the CHANEL evolution into 2020.

On December 4th, the historical scenery at the Grand Palais in Paris took me back to the epoch of Gabrielle in CHANEL HO– USE. The notes of legendary Karl Lagerfeld, who left us at the beginning of this year were also in the air. Virginie Viard (VV), who calls herself the ‘child of Coco and Karl’ has cooperated with décor designer Sofia Coppola to achieve this ambiance. Grand Palais bathed in the warm hues of the familiar quilted couch, the glow of gilded mirrors, bouquets of wheat and the glint of Chinese Coromandel screens were welcoming with warmth fashion lovers from all over the world. Including honorable VIP guests Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard.

It was a joint celebration with the main appreciation of the heart of the French fashion industry  – the artisans, embroideries, flowers, decorators, ateliers, feathers, etc. To name a few: Lesage, Lemarié, Goossens, Montex, Desrues, Lognon, Causse, Maison Michel and Massaro to their fullest capacity. Today those companies provide over 5,000 working places and make the world’s fashion. Moreover,  Virginie Viard began her life at CHANEL by being in charge of embroideries for Haute Couture, working closely with Lesage, and so it is that the journey comes full circle.

Numerous models descended down a recreation of the iconic mirrored staircase, reflecting and refracting a collection that was about connecting craft with the reality of a modern wardrobe. Bouclé coats en noir – were made ornate with chiffon belts of embroidered wheat, chains, and ribbons. Golden sequinned wheat sheaves on a delicate black tulle cape and a champagne floral lace dress, made three-dimensional together with the lashings of layered costume jewelry Virginie Viard, is the woman that managed to embrace both the light and feminine welcoming vision of Gabriel and professionalism of Karl. This ease in practice miraculously  transforms the visuality of the forms and materials. Such as fitted sequinned jumpsuit looks like a stretch knit or the sunset ombré palette that brings its own frivolity in the world of precious skilled hands. New Artistic Director managed to represent her welcome feminine sensibility along with a meticulous German approach. Meticulous work of artisans embraced by light and feminine Virginie Viard makes CHANEL show at Grand Palais a memorable finale of the fashion industry events in Paris.

After the performance, there was a wonderful dinner at Maxim’s followed by an after-party at La Coupole. Amazing CHANEL celebration gave a lot of meaning to the present and pointed out the importance of details and cooperation in the future.

Thanks for reading me,

XXXXXX_ElenaTaranina