From The Straits Times    |

 

Chanel went gothic at its Haute Couture Fashion Week show this morning.

Creative director Karl Lagerfeld had previously released a teaser image of the collection, in which a model was wearing over-the-knee lace boots. The image didn’t do justice to the intricate beauty looks which were on display though.

Cara Delevingne was pictured backstage with thick black eye make-up across her whole lid and fanning out from the bottom of her eye and winged out from the edge, towards her hair. Liner and mascara was smudged and made to look almost snowflake shaped, with pale skin and bare lips completing the look.

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Backstage shots by Benoit Peverelli

The show took place at the Grand Palais on a set depicting an enchanted forest. It gave an olden day vibe, adding to Lagerfeld’s inspiration which was the playwright Shakespeare and more precisely A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Stella Tennant led the team of ethereal models, wearing a white cape with black feathers jutting from her hair.

The promised boots soon made an appearance and were in various pastel colours, from ivory to palest lavender. They snaked up the legs over the knee, boasting intricate lace details and in some cases with peep toes.

The tweed look was a big one, as it usually is for Chanel. The labels iconic jackets came in the fabric, which was silver and off-white, and were updated with sleeves which hit the wrist bone and an off-the-shoulder cut.

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Backstage shots by Benoit Peverelli for Chanel

Later in the show there were tiered evening gowns, with black silk underlays and layers of tulle over the top boasting sequinned detailing on the ends.

At the end came the Chanel fairy brides, wearing mullet skirts made of feathers in pale pink or while. The top of the dresses was high cut, with another section of feathers layered across the chest. Accessorised with a black feather broach under the neck and skin-tight black over-the-knee leather boots, this was a look for brides with an edge.