Chanel Metiers des Arts show at the Château de Chenonceau
Interior Chateau des Dames by Jurgen Teller
The next Chanel Metiers des Arts show is tomorrow, Thursday Dec. 3, and some of you might be asking, wth is that? The Metiers des Arts is technically a pre-spring or cruise collection but since 2002 it’s become more of a demi-couture show with amazing locations that have a special significance to the house. The goal of the metiers des arts show is to really highlight the workmanship of the many ateliers and production houses owned by Chanel.
To appreciate it, you might first have to understand what haute couture is. While you have probably heard the term before you may not realize that haute couture is a specific category of fashion controlled by the Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris. Fashion houses that produce couture (hand made) pieces must adhere to a number of guidelines to be able to call themselves “haute couture”, not dissimilar to the way AOP is assigned to specific French products like champagne, cheese, or butter. It means products are created within a framework of skill, materials, and location and cannot use the term outside of those distinctions.
All the below images are from my visit to the ateliers in 2016. My visit to the ateliers of Lesage and Lemarié were in aid of an article I was writing about Paraffection for Experience magazine (pg 28). It was a dream come true to experience the archives and see how the knowledge of the petit mains has been passed down for hundreds of years to create the pieces of a modern collection (it was also a dream to be able to attend the show, especially with a luncheon at the Ritz Paris!).
While Chanel is considered an haute couture house because they produce haute couture, there exists another type of atelier. These workshops produce specific types of materials, craftsmanship or supplies to realize the whims of designers at various haute couture houses, regular couture houses and some are even available to everyone (who may know about it!). Chanel has been preserving the savoir faire of many historic ateliers since the 1980’s under an umbrella company known as Paraffection, (meaning, “for the love of”) and the Metiers des Arts show is a love letter to these ateliers without whom haute couture would not be possible.
From the Chanel press office, ““Today, the collection expresses the creative power of Virginie Viard, Artistic Director of Fashion collections, and combines the expertise of CHANEL's Métiers d’art circle, bringing together several hundred embroiderers, feather workers, paruriers, pleaters, shoemakers, hatters and glove-makers located in Paris, the rest of France and Italy.”
So what do I mean when I say demi-couture? It’s important to first recognize that Chanel uses many haute couture processes to achieve even some of it’s ready to wear pieces which is why it is so sought after. Again it’s important to remember that HC is regulated not off the rack and must be created to suit and fit each customer perfectly. RTW is a category with the possibility of some couture work (such as the fabric and even buttons and braid) while the Metiers des art is an haute couture collection available off the rack. It’s an opportunity for designer Viginie Viard, to explore the craftsmanship of these incredible ateliers in a less restrictive way, and becomes a celebration of the depth of skill possessed by the artisans and petit mains who are the heart of the house of Chanel.
The Château de Chenonceau is a renaissance styled castle once owned by Catherine de Medici and the collection is not only being shown but is the inspiration for Ms. Viard as well. Below is a teaser shot by Jurgen Teller for the show which you can watch here tomorrow at 7 pm Paris time.