Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Fashion Democracy at Chanel

In close to a hundred looks, Karl Lagerfeld offered another take on fashion democracy: something for everyone.
Chanel Autumn/Winter 2016 | Source: InDigital.tv
By
  • Tim Blanks

PARIS, France —Karl Lagerfeld's response to complaints that Chanel shows were getting too big to see anything was typically pragmatic. He gave everyone — about 3000 of us — a front row seat, creating an intimate salon situation by lining a narrow catwalk with two rows of chairs and then multiplying that configuration by a hundred — or at least that's what it felt like in the Grand Palais this morning.  "Fashion democracy," crowed Lagerfeld. "So no more complaints."

But if that was one way to address criticism of the scale of fashion, his reaction to the equally-criticised pace of it was also typical. Karl just made it go faster. So, as close as we were, ideas by the dozen whizzed by in a blur. Pharrell Williams, no slouch in the ideas department himself, wondered if that was what it's like inside Lagerfeld's mind. The man himself compared it to a computer.

In close to a hundred looks, Lagerfeld offered another take on fashion democracy: something for everyone. He was very taken with a new skirt option, lean and long but zipping at the side so you could show as much or as little leg as you wanted.  Paired with a zipped jacket, it offered a winningly casual update on the classic tweed suit, particularly in knit.

In fact, the proliferation of knitwear emphasised that “casual” was a key element in the collection. The way sweaters were tied, scarves draped, fingerless mitts scrunched and tops slid off shoulders made a relaxed point. So did the elegant elongation which was such a hit at Chanel’s last couture show.

ADVERTISEMENT

Soft suitings draped with strings of pearls felt like a quintessential Chanel statement (presumably the headgear was also a tip of the hat to Coco herself). It wasn’t the only one: a fitted black shift tied at each shoulder and as un-accessorised as almost everything else was decked out, had a rigour that felt like the antidote to excess that Chanel sought to offer women. And it was extremely seductive with it.

But maybe that was simply because, in the whirl of clothing dashing hither and yon, it was so easy to take in at a glance. Lagerfeld himself famously has no time for moments of reflection, but he was canny enough to offer us some today.

The author has shared a YouTube video.You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future.

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Fashion Week
Independent show reviews from fashion’s top critics.

What I Learned From Fashion Month

From where aspirational customers are spending to Kering’s challenges and Richemont’s fashion revival, BoF’s editor-in-chief shares key takeaways from conversations with industry insiders in London, Milan and Paris.


view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections