Snapshots from Chanel’s Spring Summer 25 Haute Couture Showcase
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Chanel marked its 110th year with a return to the historic Grand Palais for its Spring Summer 25 Haute Couture showcase, after four years. The design house, founded in 1915, has redefined and refined the art of haute couture, embodying core values of freedom, exceptional craftsmanship, and dedication to excellence. On this significant occasion, the team shared exclusive savoir-faire behind three seminal looks which were part of the Paris Couture Week.
A pleated dress-coat with puff sleeves
| Photo Credit:
Jack Davison
Dress coat
One of the highpoints of the showcase was a pleated dress-coat with puff sleeves in gold-toned checked tweed, embellished with a braid. The Chanel jacket — the holy grail — was transformed into an A-line coat dress in gold and pink tweed, embellished with a rose-toned braid woven by the dedicated atelier and gold jewelled buttons made by the goldsmith, Goossens.
Chanel ateliers brought the shape of this silhouette to life with large puff sleeves, a halter neckline and flat pleats on the front and back flaring slightly towards the bottom, it embodies the collection’s dreamlike and theatrical imagination. The ends of the sleeves reveal pink shirt cuffs that match with the contrasting lining in satin crêpe.
The three-piece outfit
| Photo Credit:
Alix Marnat
The three-piece outfit
A white chiffon blouse embellished with flounces, accordion-pleated by Parisian atelier Lognon , it comes embroidered with black feathers by Lemarié. A double-breasted, braided jacket and short pleated skirt in pink, white and gold in Lesage tweed add a chic finish. A take on the fictional pantomime character Pierrot’s costume, a diaphanous white chiffon blouse sets off a suit composed of a sleeveless jacket with double-breasted buttoning and trompe-l’œil edging, and a short skirt with box pleats, made by Chanel.
A three-piece outfit
| Photo Credit:
Jack Davison
The chiffon blouse’s collar and upper sleeves are pleated by the Lognon ateliers using the accordion technique, and embellished with black feathers worked by French atelier Lemarié, forming graphic triangles. The cuffs of the sleeves are gathered by Chanel and held in place by a chiffon flounce tightened with a black satin ribbon, matching the large bow adorning the ruff collar. Tweed in shades of pale pink, black, white and gold, woven by Lesage using the cut thread technique, combines woolly pompom threads with black and white framed fantasy thread. It features a chain-effect lurex thread, recalling the chain used in the hems of Chanel jackets, a trick employed by Gabrielle Chanel to ensure they have the perfect drop.
To accentuate the lines and contrast with the softness of the tweed, the jacket is embellished with five rows of jewelled buttons and braid made by a dedicated house atelier, which works exclusively for the House’s Haute Couture collections.
The Two-piece ensemble
| Photo Credit:
Jack Davison
Two-piece ensemble
Crafted in navy-blue chiffon and embellished with braid embroidered by Lesage, the little asymmetric cape and long dress come accented with organza flounces with silver sequins. The artistic dialogue between the Chanel ateliers and those of the Maisons d’art Lemarié, Lesage, and Goossens gives life to a diaphanous and precious outfit, composed of a little cape and a long dress with navy blue chiffon flounces. Each flounce is painted by Lemarié before being embroidered in gradations to resemble a starry sky.
A velvet belt embellished with star motif medallions by Goossens emphasises the waist
| Photo Credit:
Chanel
Jewelled braid embroidered by Lesage on the straps of the dress and the neckline of the cape add touches of light, while a velvet belt embellished with star motif medallions by Goossens emphasises the waist, all while resonating with the collection’s dreamlike imagination.
Published – January 29, 2025 02:29 pm IST
