It was a great day for the fashion world as a lively audience was privy to enjoy Chanel's impressionistic haute couture show infused with colorful flowers, sequins and feathers in Paris Tuesday, refreshing the eyes of enthusiasts and collectors alike after more than a year of digital and virtual outings.
Celebrities including film director Sofia Coppola and French actress Carole Bouquet mingled in the courtyard of the Palais Galliera fashion museum, where an exhibition on Chanel's founder, Gabrielle Chanel, is currently on show.
Designer Virginie Viard said she had looked to the artists Berthe Morisot, Marie Laurencin and Edouard Manet, as well as to English gardens for inspiration for the autumn/winter 2021/2022 haute couture line.
Tops, dresses and skirts were embellished with floral motifs, with one frock embroidered with water lilies and a black coat adorned with pink and yellow tulle pompoms.
"There are Impressionist-inspired dresses, skirts that look like paintings," Viard said in a statement.
"I love seeing color in the grayness of winter. I really wanted a particularly colorful collection that was very embroidered, something warm."
Models, some wearing their hair in braided mohawks, also presented colorful tweed suits – a staple of the privately-owned luxury group – as well as feathered or ruffled skirts and dresses trimmed with chiffon or lace. There were also trouser-suits, in hot pink as well as cream.
Actor Margaret Qualley closed the show in a soft pink wedding dress, tossing a bouquet to the audience as rose petals fell around her.
The 26-year-old also modeled some of the collection's outfits in a short film directed by Coppola.
Italian designer Giorgio Armani also displayed an haute couture collection at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday that interspersed glittering Hollywood-style silhouettes and ruffles with smart pantsuits featuring a touch of sparkle.
In front of a limited number of guests, models walked through the rooms of the Italian embassy in Paris, showing off an Autumn/Winter line of sky blue and silver outfits with a metallic sheen, topped off with black velvet jackets.
Layered dresses in pastel fabrics were followed by a mauve feather jacket and evening gowns embellished with strass.
Armani, 86, also showcased a spiderweb cape made of pearls over a pink crop top, cool-toned pantsuits, and a sheer green and pink sequined set.
Dior kicked off the four-day haute couture week Monday. The event is a mix of physical catwalk shows and digital presentations as many buyers, journalists and influencers are still unable to travel to Paris due to coronavirus restrictions.
Haute couture week is running until July 8.
