Chanel’s latest haute couture show took place in The Grand Palais, Paris under the imposing presence of a gigantic golden lion, symbolic, says Lagerfeld, because Coco Chanel was born a Leo. Not only is it synonymous with the spirit of Chanel herself, but “The colour, fauve,” says Lagerfeld, “was something I thought was right for the mood.” The ambiguity of the word “fauve” is telling. Not only does it capture the dizzying colours of the fauvist art movement, mirrored in the collection, but the fact the word itself translates to “wild beast” is a further clue as to Lagerfeld’s inspiration for his fearless use of colour, unusual adoption of faux-fur trims and intricate embroidery adorning the shimmering, sometimes metallic surfaces of the fabrics.
Text by Laura Havlin
