Chanel Metiers d'Art Paris-Salzberg

Thank god for inter-seasonal collections or I think I would go a bit mad. After the main fashion weeks/months are offer, sometimes it can seem like an age until another exciting show comes along. Luckily Karl Lagerfeld creates numerous collections per year for Chanel, and the buzz around the Paris-Salzberg Metiers d'Art show had been building up for weeks. The Metiers D'Art shows take inspiration from the chosen city, and can always be relied upon to produce stunning representations of  cities or areas that were close to Gabriel Chanel's heart. Did you know that the idea for the classic Chanel jacket came from a lift boy's uniform in a hotel in Salzberg? The lady took inspiration from everywhere! Check out the beautifully shot short film below, Reincarnation, made by KL himself and featuring Pharell as the lift boy/Emperor Franz Josef I and Cara Delevigne as a mischievous waitress who turns into Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

The venue for the event was the breathtaking Schloss Leopoldskron, which features grand marble staircases and numerous opulent rooms, where lucky industry insiders were transported to a time long forgotten. These clothes were not for the fainthearted, these were outdoorsy hunting and country influenced pieces. Lara Stone opened the show in a beautifully embossed black skirt suit with an ornate high collar and set the tone for what was to come. Cue stunningly embroidered frock coats, an abundance of feathers, ruffled blouses, sheer silk gowns and tweedy knits. I also loved the plus fours with knee high lace up boots, suede shorts with knee high socks and the tuxedo trousers. The collection was typically massive, with over eighty looks. The accessories were a real talking point too, with double C brooches pinned to collars, earmuffs which looked like plaited hair, embroidered tights and patchwork bags. The over the knee two tone boots were to die for. There was more of a hint of The Sound of Music about the whole thing (this was parodied on various websites to hilarious effect - all in good taste).