Chanel takes over the banks of the Seine, Armani shines in the salon

In an open-air haute couture show, with her dog or a basket full of flowers, the Chanel woman strolls along the banks of the Seine, combining nonchalance and elegance. Caroline de Maigret, ambassador of the Chanel house, opened the parade in a long navy blue coat. Dressed in a long organza strapless dress adorned with black velvet camellias, Vanessa Paradis, another house muse, was featured in the collection film. The cobblestones painted in several shades of pink, at the bottom of the Bateaux-Mouches pier with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, served as a podium for this parade by the water’s edge. This season, the Seine fascinates designers more than ever: Louis Vuitton, Kenzo and Alaïa presented their collections on Parisian bridges.

“If we are in Paris, this time we are in Paris itself, on the quays. The street and the colored cobblestones call for both sophistication and simplicity”

Virginie Viard, artistic director of Chanel

Contrasts

The collection plays on contrasts: the Parisiennes, in wise tweed suits with skirts below the knees and coats, stroll next to those, more bohemian, wearing loose blouses and scarves as headbands on their hair… designer mixes tweeds, silk muslins, organzas and encrusted lace with floral and graphic motifs. A few bright colors, like Barbie pink, stand out in the middle of the monochrome gray landscape.

“To play with oppositions and contrasts, nonchalance and elegance, is to stand on a line between strength and softness that, at Chanel, we call the allure”, emphasizes Virginie Viard. The dresses are transparent, with full skirts. Faithful to the tradition of closing the haute couture show with a wedding dress, Virginie Viard imagined it this season as flowing, mid-length with transparent sleeves, easy to wear. Masculine-inspired overcoats, light belted blouses, tank tops, tennis-striped pants: while haute couture is more often associated with dresses, this collection, like others presented since July 3, includes pieces from the daily wardrobe. .

Red, star color at Armani

In contrast, Giorgio Armani paraded very dressed women with elaborate and artistic hairstyles, in a cozy atmosphere of a living room lit by bedside lamps. Trouser suits with close-fitting jackets, sheath dresses, stiletto heels: the models, looking distant, move very slowly on a shiny black and white floor.

All the big party outfits sparkle and sparkle, and so do the hats. Giorgio Armani, when he comes to greet the public, also wears a waistcoat that shines under his matte jacket. Red is the star color: even the bride wears it. Roses are everywhere, embroidered on dresses, in brooches or braided in hair.