This summer fashionistas cannot go without floral moods in their wardrobes. Designers of haute couture that sets the tone to pret-a-porter lines for several seasons to come, as if by agreement, showered their heroine with petals and buds, twist them around with bright vines and tender stems. From one show to another as by a magic wand in hands of a designer a girl is reincarnated in a forest fairy, in a queen of flowers ball, in a beautiful gardener of the future.

The progenitor of this “must have” trend is, as expected, the “Kaiser” Karl Lagerfeld. Under the arches of the Grand Palais – the traditional Chanel presentation site – workers erected a bizarre greenhouse garden that Karl saw, like many of his brilliant ideas, in a dream. “Just before the awakening” – graciously clarifies Maestro. Something post-apocalyptic sterile is guessed in huge mechanical asters (or variations of asters of the future) that open up as a model passes by. Creations of an artificial world in which, perhaps, will have to live our descendants, and from which, as Karl hints, fresh flowers may disappear forever. Lagerfeld himself as like a living machine – how else to explain his superhuman performance, allowing the designer to create eight collections a year (not counting the “Métiers d’art”).

Behind the entourage, in which from season to season Karl wraps Chanel shows, the collection itself may fall to the rear plan. One may think that versed public can be satisfied with just the performance, while variations on the tweed suit, no matter how skillful and original they are, will still remain variations of a tweed suit. But Lagerfeld is not looking for easy ways: it is enough to just have a closer look at each piece, to touch the fabrics, to count the number of hours spent on the embroidery and immediately acknowledge that thanks to Karl’s efforts Chanel remains one of the last strongholds of the unique savoir-faire of the French haute couture – a set of craft knowledge and skill passed on from generation to generation.

Flowers, colors and … bared waists – but do not rush to blame the Kaiser in frivolity inappropriate for a tweed clad armor of their own history fashion house! Lagerfeld explains that lowered waistline on the skirts, opening the belly is a ‘new décolleté’. ‘We are so tired of all those cuts at the top so that I decided to create something new.” The most disciplined of French designers, he remains an innovator, with celestial ease flipping upside down all the usual foundations and confident in the success of any of his eccentricities. For this we are willing to forgive him flat boots, more reminiscent of men’s socks, with which the designer complemented couture looks.

It is impossible not to mention the final outfit which is the bride, romantic yet modern, extravagant and enchanting. Created in the atelier Lemarié, the incredible dress, the culmination of the show, consists of more than 3,000 elements. An entire month of continuous work of 12 people was spent on its fabrication. And thanks to its length the socks-boots got covered 😉

Photo credits: CHANEL / Olivier Saillant