After the over-the-top opulence of the Gardens of Versailles, the house of Chanel took a slow boat to Singapore
KARL Lagerfeld's latest Chanel spectacular took place in the Garden City last night, albeit a more restrained intimate affair. The pre-spring/summer 2014 collection was unveiled inside a disused building – formerly the British army barracks – complete with concrete floors, whitewashed walls and ceiling fans giving the feel of "the tropics" from a bygone era.
The collection, which had all the hallmarks of traditional Chanel updated as contemporary versions of the house's signature pieces, was particularly poignant as this year marks 100 years since Gabrielle Chanel opened her first store in 1913 in Deauville. But even by Lagerfeld's exacting standards, the show was a decidedly pared-back affair.
Chanel collections are shown regularly in the former colonial outpost. But having the maestro, and supermodels Stella Tennant, Cara Delevingne and Shu Pei Qin on the catwalk, was a first. Perhaps a nod in recognition of the rising influence of Asian consumers on traditional European luxury brands.
International celebrities, including Dakota Fanning, Andre Leon Talley and Carine Roitfeld who are more familiar with large high-energy events, rubbed shoulders with a rather large international contingent, and local media, society queens and the nouveau riche. Ah, how very Chanel!
What did you think of the collection? Are you a Chanel fan?
