September
11,
2009
Postcards From Chanel's Venice Fashion Show
MC Fashion Director Nina Garcia opens her scrapbook to give you an inside look at the fashion journey of a lifetime.
Sitting in a cabana on Lido Beach in Venice, Italy, at dusk—cellists playing, sand in my toes—I have to pinch myself. I'm at the dreamlike debut of Chanel's latest cruise collection. And while every show from the legendary French label I've ever attended has been amazing, this one is beyond magical. With characteristic grandeur and class, Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld has orchestrated a cinematic tour de force that evokes Venice's high society in the '20s and '30s—the era in which Coco Chanel frequented the romantic city. Like love letters to the mademoiselle and her Italian playground, references to Venetian classics can be found in each passing look. Some symbols are subtle—look closely at the prints and you'll see lions, the emblem of Venice as well as Coco's birth sign—while others are overt.
- Nina Garcia
Beauty Basics: See the backstage beauty from this show
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Every piece tells a story. Here are some of the highlights.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Sneak Peek The day prior to the actual show, I met with Karl during the models' fitting. It was incredible to see him and his team at work. From thousands of beautiful bags, shoes, brooches, and necklaces (some of which I got to try on), Karl zeroed in on the perfect pieces for each ensemble.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Karl during the model fitting.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Guests arrive by boat.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Beach chairs along the boardwalk.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"A male model, draped in black and wearing a tricornered hat, opens the show. His resemblance to the infamous Italian playboy Giacomo Casanova sets the tone for high drama and romance."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"Light and airy cruise dresses capture Luchino Visconti's 1971 film adaptation of Death in Venice, Thomas Mann's novella set on the Lido. Model Tatjana Patitz [seen with Lagerfeld] evokes the mother of young Tadzio—the protagonist's object of obsession."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"Coco Chanel's friendship with Sergei Diaghilev, the founder of Paris' Ballet Russes, began in Venice. Her costumes for the company's stars like Vaslav Nijinsky are revisited in the collection."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"Winged glasses pay homage to Peggy Guggenheim, the doyenne of one of Italy's most important collections of modern art—housed in the Palazzo where she once lived."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"Bobbed wigs and ornate jewels mimic the distinctive style of Marchesa Luisa Casati, the incomparable Italian socialite during the first half of the 20th century."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Gorgeous black and white ensembles.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
The grand finale at sunset.
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
"Black-and-white stripes, the signature uniform of Venice's charming gondolieri, get a brand-new bag."
Postcards from Venice
italian fashion, venice fashion, venice, chanel, karl lagerfeld
chanel cruise collection in venice italy
Click here to see beauty looks from this show
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