On a beautiful sunny day, we had arrived at the last day of Paris Fashion Week. At the end of a fashion month, nothing could pick up a weary crowd more than the sight of a waterfall - and the sound of Bjork's Venus As a Boy as the opening track. The sight of the pure elements of water pouring forth from the blue skies brought home the elements of this beautiful planet. On a sustainability tip, all the water was recycled and the plants were said to be planted in their natural habitat once used here today. The sun streamed down and it was Instagram-a-go-go as the audience filtered and refiltered the way the sunlight caught the gigantic pseudo-rocks that towered above. Last season, Chanel saw us reach for the skies via a rocket ship and all things space age. S/S 18 was about water, sparkle and shine. We were well and truly in the lush tranquil of Mother Earth. In the same two weeks that we have seen and heard news of so much catastrophe and heartbreak from across the world, being in such a peaceful mise-en-scene felt somewhat surreal.
The models were waterfall-ready in waterproof clear PVC waders and hats. Crystal earrings were like giant drops of water and clear PVC capes and gauntlets were worn over and with cropped tweed tops. Thick Chanel tweed fringing on skirts and shorts was luxurious yet irreverent - the colour palette of aquatic blues, emerald greens, moss and indigo were all interwoven in the yarns. One sleeveless tweed trouser suit had origami pleats across the body that were almost like gills on a fish. A knitted dress was like an open tweed woven fishing net, wide and ruched cotton clutches looked they had been washed in salt water. The denim section was very strong, styled with mermaid style flapper skirts and fringing. Audiere style evening bags arrived in clear plastic. They looked like bubbles hanging from models' wrists. This whole show felt like one dreamy bubble.
