Chanel Resort 2018
All hail Kaiser Karl for an adventure in classicism
A fantasy space expedition could only be rivalled with an equally epic show theme, and, as usual, Karl Lagerfeld didn't disappoint with Chanel's Ancient Greek-inspired Resort collection for 2017/2018.
Chanel's ready-to-wear AW17/18 show in March took us to the moon and back thanks to Lagerfeld's playful take on retro-futurism which culminated in a noisy rocket launch finale. Fashion-wise, we were treated to a veritable space odyssey: tweed skirt suits with funnel collars inspired by classic spacesuits; chiffon dresses printed with the image floating cosmonauts; white Courrèges-style kinky boots and lots of alien 'egg head' back combing.
By contrast, Resort 2017/2018 was modern classicism as seen through the columns of Ancient Greece – or as the Kaiser called it, 'La Modernité de l’Antiquité'. If anything links these two shows together, it is that they both riffed off the concept of timelessness and man's limitless imagination – which is perhaps an allegory for Lagerfeld himself: a seemingly unstoppable force at the age of 83; fashion's answer to Julius Caesar or a supernova perhaps.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This cruise collection was undoubdetly commercial - as we all know, 'mid-season' collections often represent the lion share of revenue for a luxury brand – but the wonderful thing about Chanel is that the French maison really runs with a theme, which also makes it highly desirable and recognisable when it hits departments stores and boutiques. It’s a cachet that seems to work for them anyway.
The set at Paris' Grand Palais could have been borrowed from Universal Studios: great big mock Roman columns and ruins created a kitsch backdrop for the catwalk procession. Did we expect statuesque white suiting, Grecian dresses, laurel leaf crowns and strappy gladiator sandals? Hell yes we did! And that's exactly what we got only via 'Lagerfeld' narrative.
Colourful Chanel high-heeled sandals were fastened with crisscross straps all the way up the leg – the heel devised as a mini Ancient Greek column complete with swirly volutes. Instead of crowns, models' hair was kept in place with ornate gold or white hairbands; necklines were framed with softly draped silk; white tweed suits were given a Spartan feel thanks to frayed edging on miniskirts and rope ties on cinched jackets.
The 'Aphrodites' of the show wore romantic white dresses embroidered with gold laurel leaf patterns, as well as majestic long line/all-black ensembles – strong and dramatic silhouettes to contrast ultra-feminine details such as delicate pleated cap sleeves, intricate gold beading, shimmering gold fabrics and long ribbon ties (also in hair) that flowed from the nape of the neck to the waistline like dancing snakes.
The message was one of strength and fortitude but unlike Chanel's famous 'feminist rally' – see the spring/summer 2015 street catwalk which saw models brandishing placards with slogans such as 'Females First' and 'History is Her Story' - the Resort 2017/2018 collection, for all its Cleopatra-inspired leitmotifs and Ancient Greek allegory, was less focused on content than it was about substance and wearability. There was something for everyone here – whether you want to teeter around in Empire-making heels or not.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
A growing iodine deficiency could bring back America's goiter
Under the Radar Ailment is back thanks to complacency, changing diets and a lack of public-health education
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 10, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - civic duty, uncertain waters, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 ladylike cartoons about women's role in the election
Cartoons Artists take on the political gender gap, Lady Liberty, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published
-
Kaos review: comic retelling of Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum
The Week Recommends The new series captures audiences as it 'never takes itself too seriously'
By The Week UK Published
-
Blink Twice review: a 'stylish and savage' black comedy thriller
The Week Recommends Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie stun in this film on the hedonistic rich directed by Zoë Kravitz
By The Week UK Published
-
Shifters review: 'beautiful' new romantic comedy offers 'bittersweet tenderness'
The Week Recommends The 'inventive, emotionally astute writing' leaves audiences gripped throughout
By The Week UK Published
-
How to do F1: British Grand Prix 2025
The Week Recommends One of the biggest events of the motorsports calendar is back and better than ever
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Twisters review: 'warm-blooded' film explores dangerous weather
The Week Recommends The film, focusing on 'tornado wranglers', stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell
By The Week UK Published