Chanel: Catwalk as Theatre

Karl Lagerfeld
1933-2019
RIP

Lagerfeld, not only a man with an eye for sartorialism, he was also a master in the art of theatre. Chanel's shows - unlike other couture houses - moves into the world of fable. Under the guise of Lagerfeld's cultural understanding we take a journey - part historic, part fantasy, a bejewelled pantomime.

His aim: to provoke a broader aesthetic understanding with the aim of the most beautiful, the most exquisite. Now mimicked by others but no-one replicates the individual excellence of Lagerfeld.

This collage shows some of his most artistic shows:

The cruise show in Cuba with a backdrop of faded elegant buildings, tree canopied boulevards, vintage automobiles and the essence of Cuba itself - traditional Cuban music.

Then the Metiers d'Art in Edinburgh - set in a Scottish castle, snow falling, part Queen of Scots, part Renaissance.

The Third piece is located on Venice Lido. The mood is Venice Carnival and masked balls, ranging from Edwardian - surely influenced by the movie Death in Venice - then on to the flappers of the 1920s.

The final show depicted here was his impression - and he freely admitted to never having visited the country - of India. India of the historic not the modern - days of the Raj and the influence of the English in India (interestingly the collection uses the former English name of Bombay and not the retitled Indian name Mumbai). The train shown is influenced by an actual dinner table piece in a Maharajah's Palace in Rajasthan.

Lagerfeld was also trying to give us a lesson in a country's heritage too and make us think a bit more deeply about the role of costume in history.

The four pieces of music featured are Veinte Anos by Buena Vista Social Club, My Heart in the Highlands by Avro Part, Puccini's Mi Chiamano from La Bohème and Pieces Of Ten (Chandru Mix) by Nitin Sawhney. Video featured are from the Chanel catwalk shows: Cruise 2016/2017 (Havana), Métiers d'Art 2012/13 (Paris-Édimbourg), Cruise 2009/2010 (Venice Lido) and Pre-Fall 2011/12 (Paris-Bombay).

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Видео Chanel: Catwalk as Theatre канала BellisVintage