Chanel Paris-Byzance Pre-Fall 2011

Having just opened a second Chanel boutique in Istanbul, Karl Lagerfeld toyed with the idea of staging his ninth pre-fall Métiers d’Art show in the exotic locale–Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, after all, did take Byzantine art as her major inspiration when she was the first to launch a line of costume jewelry in the 1920s. But in the end, he opted for the comforts, and intimacy, of the Paris Rue Cambon shop, transforming it into an Ottoman Palace (with décor worthy of such a title) as he revisited the bold colors and antique golds of enamels and icons, saturating an exquisite collection with midnight and mineral blues, deep purples, violets and greens. Thus, Paris-Byzance was born.

Taking full advantage of his vast resources–the ateliers of Desrues the costume jeweler, Lemarié the feather specialist, Lesage the embroiderer, Massaro the shoe-maker, Michel the milliner, Goossens the goldsmith and Guillet the floral accessory specialist–Lagerfeld turned out utterly refined, rounded shapes that flowed and draped (think reinterpreted tunics and togas done in a contemporary, feminine style) while paying full respect to an era 16 centuries back. This was a simply regal collection–but modernized thanks to Lagerfeld’s injection of rock ‘n’ roll spirit. The asymmetrical drapings, with loose panels at the front and back, outline a shifting silhouette while the intrinsic Byzantine signature is evident in tweeds interwoven with gold, satin leather, velvet, cashmere, chiffon, lace and tulle. Note the buttons: they’re jeweled stones, while the arabesque appliqués are trimmed with gold and woven to be coarse yet sophisticated like a true mosaic.