Every year, at the beginning of December, the house Chanel invites us to a different destination in order to present its fashion show Chanel and the fine arts. This time, the choice fell on the hometown of the Artistic Director Karl Lagerfeld, Hambourg, in Germany. Wedsneday December 6, it’s the famous architectural jewel of the Elbe Philarmonic or Elbphilarmonie, conceived by Jacques Herzog et Pierre de Meuron, that hosted the traditional fashion show created in order to enhance the craftsmanship of the embroiderers Maison Lesage and Atelier Montex, of the feather worker Lemarié, of the bootmaker Massaro and the hatter and milliner Maison Michel.
All the guests to the event had received an invitation card with an essential hint about the insipiration of this 
collection fine arts “Paris-Hambourg”: an « Elbsegler » cap decorated with frog closing, once worn by the Hambourg sailors. A collection which pays tribute to the harbour tradition of the German town through outfits with nautical signature. The designer revisits the dress code of the sailors, by diverting their tote bags, their sailor stripe t-shirts and their caps. The models come down the many stairs from the top of the auditorium to the stage to the music of the orchestra. Captains with long sailor trousers and barrel bags, officers with long riding-cotes, seamen with tweed suits with sailor collars…Gabrielle Chanel’s shadow – the woman who had stolen the sailor stripe t-shirt and the pea jacket – is still alive.
For the evening, the tweed of the suits hands over to the gowns embroidered with hand-painted feathers, with neck and cuffs in sequins and gemstones. On the accessories side, the minaudieres take the shape of containers or lifelines. On the jewellery side, the marine anchors turn into brooches and earrings, while their chains turn into sautoirs.
All the show within the framework of this glass building, at the heart of which is located the Grand Hall, the biggest concert hall of the monument that draws its inspiration from the classical Greek auditoriums and counts 2100 seats spread over multiple levels with steep bank, surrounding the central orchestra.
Once again, thanks to the Fashion Kaiser for letting us dreaming with his show!
