It was a Parisian takeover on Tuesday night at Rome's Cinecittà film studio's as Karl Lagerfield transformed the area into an intricate black and white -esq Parisian street made up of Boulangeries, a Metro station and his own movie theatre, the Cinema Le Paris.
In awe of the screening of Lagerfeld's latest short film 'Once and Forever', starring Kristen Stewart and Geraldine Chaplin, Lagerfeld brought spotlight to the eerie midnight deserted street themed runway with a 'lights, camera, action effect' to fit the theme of movies. After seeing his Chanel airline terminal extravaganza at the Grand Palais for Spring Summer 2016 earlier this September, as a follower and an enthusiast of the brand, I was far from disappointed with his Pre Fall romanticized vintage narrative.
As the show began, models merged from the imitated Metro station either solo or in pairs to endure a 'walk of shame' after what was believed to have been a night out. Although their heavy smoke effect eye makeup and beehives were rather unkempt, Lagerfeld's cool and crisp designs of embellished mixtures of monochromes and neutral clothing, disguised this dishevelled look and replaced it with a modernised high end 60's glamour. There were also some ironic subtle experiments with Victorian styled fashion such as high necked ruffled garments seen throughout the night. However, Lagerfeld's risky eye for fashion caused him to create a hybridity of style by combining this cultured Victorian approach to fashion with parades of PVC patent skirts finished with sleazy bejewelled doorknocker earrings, gothic lace fishnets and stilettos to bring a slick edge back to Lagerfeld's collection. Furthermore, to replicate the bitterly cold breeze of the December month, Lagerfeld layered many of his outfits with oversized duster coats in dog tooth patterns, woven tweed fabrics or chic ink black hues with militaristic styled buttons.
As we have previously seen in Shanghai, New York and Dallas, Lagerfeld has abused the art and craft nature of the mega-production to celebrate all of the artisanal houses that have worked with the brand. By doing so, he has artistically accompanied some of his models with miniature camera silhouette clutch bags to create an imaginative motif in support of the movie night theme. Not only was Rome a major fashion capital to debut his work in, but similarly to the previous places Lagerfeld has taken his Métiers d’art Show, Rome was also a significant place to Coco Chanel herself and her fashion career.
Why was Rome so significant to Coco Chanel?
Both Lagerfeld and Coco Chanel have relationships with the city of Rome. Firstly, Lagerfeld's dates all the way back to 1963 where he first debut his work designing for Tiziani. (A contextual explanation behind his choice of the 1960's theme for the show.) As for Coco Chanel, Rome was a place where 1950's actresses such as Jeanne Moreau, Anouk Aimée, Monica Vitti and Romy Schneider wore her designs during their roles in the Italian movies directed by Luchino Visconti and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Therefore, it was an all round 1960's movie night affair as Lagerfeld interlinked Chanel's creations of garments for star studded Italian movies with the take-off of his fashion career in 1963, to really celebrate the talent that both impeccable designers have brought to the brand over the past 106 years.
I have featured a few images below of the Parisian movie night.
'Once and Forever'
As for 'Once and Forever, by the legend Karl Lagerfeld himself. Was Kristen Stewart really the right choice to impersonate Coco Chanel, the empress of graceful and classic fashion? I can't say I agree with this one.
Kristen Stewart appears bratty, difficult to work with and not particularly enthusiastic about her role. Unless this was the intention, Stewart becomes the antagonist with her obnoxious behaviour and due to this Geraldine Chaplin, an actress who has embodied Chanel's previously, shines above Stewart for her poise and dedication to the role she has played four times.
To watch the short film by Lagerfeld, follow the link I have included below....
http://www.chanel.com/en_GB/fashion.html
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