The Rosegold Magazine . You own your FASHION
Karl's goodbye at Chanel FW 19/20
7th March 2019 - Aina Matamoros
The day had come. March 5th, 10 am. Chanel Fall-Winter 2019/2020 ready to wear fashion show. The last collection Karl Lagerfeld designed for the French brand. The end of an ERA (in capital letters because he was a genius and it is a huge deal; so we all have to be dramatic about it).
The show was set in a winter wonderland: the catwalk was covered in snow and there was a (not so) little cabin at the back. It started with a minute of silence and then his voice sounded. He was talking about the collection in French and in the end he changed to English and said: “Oh! It’s like walking in a painting!” That feeling was the one people should have when seeing the set and the collection. And everyone did.
#ChanelInTheSnow first designs were the iconic tweed suits of the brand. Models, led by Cara Delevigne, who opened the show, wore flawless tweed pleated trousers, statement long coats and matching hats, all in white, brown, black and grey tones. The characteristic tweed skirts and jackets (that did not match this time), appeared next, showing the same magnificent tailoring accuracy as Lagerfeld always did on his designs. There were also some wintery looks with knitted sweaters and midi skirts.
Monochrome total looks in camel, fuchsia, electric blue, and red were presented in the middle of the show, alongside looks that combined winter-print knit dresses covered with magenta and violet trendy puffers and others that showed loosen skirts and dresses and elastic bodysuits and jumpsuits made with skiers print.
The elegance of Chanel and Karl walked the runway at the final part of the show. The finest black and white looks led to all-white outfits that matched perfectly with the theme of the show. First, models wore suits, trousers, jackets and coats made from tweed and other materials, such as corduroy. The final looks were like snowballs: mini dresses with rounded short skirts made of fluffy soft fabrics that really made the models look like if they were a living delicate snowflake. Chanel ambassador Penelope Cruz and model Kaia Gerber were two of the models that had the honor of wearing them.
Accessorizes were also wonderful: the jewelry, the bags, the scarfs, the belts, the snowball-like camellias as hairpieces and, especially, the winter boots.
Karl Lagerfeld worked in this collection, alongside Virgine Viard, until his last breath. He was not sentimental; he was not a man of sad farewells. He wanted it to be as if he was still there, and it was. Everything was magical, genius, brilliant and very emotional. The collection was one of his best ones lately as if he knew it was going to be the last one and he had to highlight that he is leaving a very hard act to follow. Every design was magnificent.
We do not know what the future for Chanel holds. With Virgine Viard, it looks like she is going to follow Karl’s values, ideas, and concepts in the creative process. However, he had a vision, he was a fashion genius that is taking so much talent away with him. There is not going to be anyone like him.
Fortunately, we are able to say we lived in the time he was alive and we could admire his designs: a gift that he gave us, that he gave to the whole fashion world, and that we will always keep very safely and honored in our museums, minds, and hearts.