Allegory, erasing the line between cinematic past, with its enduring inspiring heroes, and futuristic future, belonging to the generation of twitter and Rihanna, was brilliantly played by Karl Lagerfeld in the new fall-winter haute couture collection for the fashion colossus with centuries of history – house Chanel.

What is our life, if not the theater? These words of a classic, interpreted by visionary Lagerfeld, got a new sound. Invariably taking place in Grand Palais, this time the fashion show recreated the atmosphere of a dilapidated theater, designed to symbolize the connection between yesterday and promising tomorrow, sparkling with iridescent skylight of metropolis backdrop.

The collection abounds in multi-layered silhouettes-trio consisting of dresses, tunics and jackets. It is no stranger to the stylistic extremes: a sheer tulle skirt is no less relevant than suede stocking boots that can be worn with a straight pencil skirt or in a more relaxed version with ruffles at the yoke. Low waistline is emphasized throughout by a wide belt, and a haircut à la Rachel from a cult “Blade Runner” movie is supplemented with square brimmed hats, pulled at the back of the head – an echo of boater hats, so beloved by the founder of house Gabrielle Chanel.

Short stand-up, wide turn-down collars or their complete absence. Restrained color palette of black and white, dark blue, beige and pale pink. Skirts and dresses made with 3D effect, with geometric prints, embroidered with sequins, metallic flowers and tiles of crystals. Unimaginable technologies of the future used by Karl in high fashion of today, as if designed to accelerate the already frenzied pace of time.

Closing the collection silver dresses, as if woven from a star dust, weightless and ethereal, completely take away the audience from reality, leaving a feeling of experiencing a movie story, a little sad in its unwitting nostalgia over a hopelessly outdated, but still such a great bygone world.

Photo credits: CHANEL