French luxury fashion house Chanel presented their new Pre-Fall 2016 collection. Creative director Karl Lagerfeld presented this Paris in Rome 2015/16 Métiers d’Art show at Teatro N°5, Cinecittà. This collection was an ode to Paris, the French cinema and to the city of Rome, and even more inspiration was found in Lagerfeld’s own work and designs for Tiziani. The focus was on the art of embroidery.
Fine embroidery is the traditional craft of creating flat or raised motifs using a variety of materials, from cotton and sequins to cabochons, feathers, crystals, and pendants, on fabrics ranging from light, airy organza and chiffon to stiff, resistant leather and tweed. One key technique is “Lunéville” embroidery, which takes its name from the French town of the same name. The technique dates from 1867, when it was invented to simplify and speed up needlework. It involves using a crochet hook to chain stitch small decorations such as tiny beads, sequins, and thread to the underside of the fabric.
Prior to the show, Chanel presented “Once and Forever,” an 11-minute movie Lagerfeld directed starring one of his muses,Hollywood actress Kristen Stewart. Stewart will also be the star of Chanel’s Paris-Rome Métiers d’art ad campaign.
Images: vogue.com; chanel.com
