Concrete, “cycling shorts à la française” and “des tongs très chic”. Lagerfeld has delivered us with a new interpretation of Haute Couture

Yesterday saw Karl Lagerfeld welcome his guests to the Grand Palais in a décor evoking a 20th century Parisian apartment, for the Chanel Haute Couture AW14 show.

Whilst the décor orchestrated an encounter between Le Corbusier and Versailles, the materials in the collection came as a surprise. From laminated lace to neoprene and concrete, the unexpected materials were made feminine by the addition of chiffon, tulle, tweed and organza, creating a modern quintessentially Chanel silhouette.

A continuation of the unconventional, structured dresses and spherical skirts were met by matching “cycling shorts à la française” peeping from beneath, cut just above the knee, whilst models wore “des tongs très chic” on their feet – aka. very chic flip-flops. Right angled shoulders, corseted waists and fabric draped body engulfing cages also made an appearance in a palette of rouge, rusts and gold’s contrasted by a secondary colour way of sky blue and concrete.

For evening wear it was all about long empire dresses with trains; others look like clouds, frothing with feathers enclosed in tulle. Karl Lagerfeld shakes up conventions with a “seamless Haute Couture”, where the jackets and coats are made from a single piece, cut on the bias.

Lagerfeld has delivered us with a new visionary interpretation of Haute Couture and an impressive one at that.