Chanel Goes to Verdon

The inspiration for the Spring-Summer 2018 collection at Chanel was the breathtaking Verdon Gorge, one of southern-France’s –and some would argue, Europe– most beautiful geographic accidents. That’s a tough act to follow, said nature, but Karl Lagerfeld and his team managed just fine: the models walked along a setup of rocks and water, evoking the canyon’s multiple waterfalls.

The water concept also permeated the clothes themselves: the designer used a rainbow palette –aqua prints, mossy greens and shell-like pinks– with touches of gold and silver to emulate what happens when the sun and the moon hit the surface of water –or, in this case, Lurex tweed, chiffon, lace and silk.

Those fabrics were presented in what Lagerfeld called “an ethereal fluidity”: leather partnered with tweed on bra tops and mini-skirts, dresses and jackets in woven tweed with fringes that simulate aquatic plants and flowing coat-dresses. Inspired in the rhythm of waterfalls, the house paired XL chiffon blouses with scout scarves and straight mini-skirts, achieving a contrast between the strict and the supple, while dresses in ribbon and mesh featured sleeves that undulated like waves.

The Lagerfeld signature touches were quite visible in the accessories: the little wide-brim hats, the fingerless gloves and the thigh-high boots in transparent plastic. The Gabrielle bag got a “needled” PVC surface update, while the Boy bag now comes in iridescent PVC. The minaudières are now available in crystal Plexiglass, embroidered with reflecting sequins, while the 11.12 bags shine in Verdon-inspired pastel hues.