Tilda Swinton
Last year Chanel put on a show with their Indian-inspired resort collection at their usual spot at the Grand Palais but today they took their latest collection to the Palace of Versailles. Chanel campaign girl Alice Dellal sat front row at the show along with the usual faces like Vanessa Paradis and Caroline Sieber. Tilda Swinton also attended along with Haider Ackermann.
Elie Saab transported us into a fairytale land this morning as he presented his latest couture collection in the Grand Palais in Paris. The collection really honed on pastels and the unapologetic femininity that we saw from the S/S12 shows. Sea green gowns came with intricate floral embroidery and evening gowns were sheer, covered in sequins and came in either long or short sleeves. While the evening wear was strong as always, the daytime looks like really held their own this season, particularly a sheer and strapless white lace dress that came cinched at the waist and worn by Karlie Kloss.
Image courtesy of Marcio Madeira/KCD
With a collection consisting of a strong mix of texture and innovative use of technique, you'd be forgiven for thinking that fashion newcomer Pedro Lourenço had arrived on the scene with years of design experience behind him, and he has, but perhaps not quite as many as you'd think. The up-and-coming designer is an astonishing 19-years old, and since beginning his design career aged only eight (yes, eight!) the Brazilian talent caused a storm with his debut show at Paris Fashion Week this season.
For an extremely young designer, Lourenço has a vast range of influences - from Madeline Vionnet to early Comme des Garçons' shows and Mario Kart, and it was his influential parents (who unsurprisingly are both designers) that gathered a small group of industry insiders to watch Lourenço's first collection, aged eight. Lourenço names the Picasso exhibition at the Grand Palais, Paris as another of his inspirations, where he discovered that Picasso had worked his whole life to be free like a child, something that Pedro snubs. “I feel I was free like a child when I was creating when I was small,” he is clear to point out, and although he may not have the industry experience that many of his older counterparts, he certainly does have the talent. Watch this space...
Always one to impress with the set design of his infamous catwalk shows in le Grand Palais, Paris, Karl Lagerfeld did just that as he revealed his barnyard playground for the SS10 Chanel catwalk. Although it was speculated that Lagerfeld had the extravagant set - which was based around Marie Antoinette's own barn - sent to Argentina where he shot the latest Chanel campaign, it seems that it didn't make the cut after all.
That's not to say the campaign isn't as good as ever. The designer's most recent muse Baptiste Giabiconi sports a very Lagerfeld-esque ponytail and white ruffled shirt alongside the ever beautiful Freja Beha, whilst Claudia Schiffer features in her own photograph, mysteriously hiding from the Argentinian heat under a large black hat. Oh, how Karl is making us crave the summer sun...
I think it's fair to say that today, especially in light of the current economic climate, it's hard to differentiate one fashion event from the next. Gone are the days, it seemed, where we left a show or event mesmerised and transfixed by beautiful and creative set productions. However, last night at the Sonia Rykiel pour H&M launch we were all proved wrong and witnessed an event to remember.
Entering the Grand Palais last night felt as if you'd entered a mix between the classic 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory' meets a fantasy funfair. The venue was full of giant sized ducks and bunnies and giant poodles, a mad house, a carousel and swings not to mention models of famous landmarks in Paris.
The surprises did not end there. When we were all seated, a full band and group of majorettes followed by a heard of geese began a parade followed by models, including Lily Cole, wearing the lingerie and knitwear collection.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Sonia Rykiel," said Kate Bosworth. "To me she is so feminine, and so wonderfully dramatic, like a big glittery bow on a dress. It’s crazy here, I wasn’t expecting this. It’s like a mini carnival." Jean Paul Gaultier, who was also in attendance, praised Rykiel. “I love Sonia Rykiel, and I love the association with H&M. Sonia Rykiel is like a revolution in fashion. She makes sexy clothes, but ones that are very modern, cool and feminine. She’s super-clever and super-talented and I have big, big admiration for her,” says Jean Paul Gaultier.
While we're used to seeing Karl Lagerfeld and his team transform the Grand Palais in Paris for spectacular catwalk shows, we can't wait to see what team Sonia Rykiel and H&M pull out, as they transform the magical setting into a 'fantasy Paris'. The Grand Palais will be morphed into a fairytale in time for the launch of Sonia Rykiel pour H&M on the 1st of December, and will even include a spectacular 25-30 metre Eiffel Tower and oversized poodles and rabbits, enhancing the fairytale, movie-like experience of the launch. We can't wait to see the final outcome - now all we need is a Prince Charming to sweep us off our feet and take us by horse and carriage to Paris, come December.
H&M can do no wrong. In the past, the high street retailer has collaborated with everyone from Karl Lagerfeld to their most recent line with Jimmy Choo, not to mention the highly anticipated lingerie and knitwear collaboration with Sonia Rykiel.
Just when we thought that was good enough, the retailer has announced that the Sonia Rykiel collection will be officially unveiled and celebrated with a big runway show in Paris on December 1, days before the collection hits stores.
The show will take place at the Grand Palais, the place of choice for Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel's runway shows, and will showcase the full line including both lingerie and knitwear.
If you cast your mind back to the star studded Stella McCartney launch and the Matthew Williamson party with Grace Jones in attendance, speculation for the font row of the show is already in full swing.
We are pleased to reveal that The Fash Pack will be attendance and will be reporting and tweeting live from the event for you so stay tuned.
Always one to astound us with extravagant catwalk settings, Karl Lagerfeld transformed the Grand Palais into a hay-filled barn, complete with tongue in cheek Chanel emblem clog heels, chain garter transfers on bare legs, and lace embellished sunglasses. The traditional tweed Chanel skirt suit ran dominant, updated with a vastly shorter hemline, complete with cheeky thigh split, and checkered tweed fabrics. Lagerfeld played on the sheer trend with layered cream and black laces, opaque tights and diaphanous dresses and blouses.
