CHANEL ACT II

BEFORE CHANEL SHOWS THEIR READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION TOMORROW AT THE GRAND PALAIS, I WANT TAKE YOU BACK TO FEBRUARY THIS YEAR AND SHARE ONE OF THE COOLEST EXPERIENCES I'VE EVER HAD WHEN I WAS INVITED TO VISIT THEIR ATELIERS IN PARIS. IN AN AGE WHERE THE FASHION IS FAST AND ALSO DOWN LOADABLE, WE SOMETIMES FORGET HOW MANY HOURS AND HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO EACH COLLECTION AND NOTHING POINTS THAT OUT QUITE LIKE WALKING THROUGH THE MÉTIERS D'ART LESAGE (ATELIER OF EMBROIDERY) AND LEMAIRÉ (FEATHERS AND CAMELLIA'S) AS ROWS OF ARTISANS SPEND HUNDREDS OF HOURS HAND BEADING AND STITCHING  TOGETHER THE COUTURE LOOKS AND WHILE OWNING CHANEL COUTURE IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT IN MY FUTURE... I'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS AND THE MEMORY OF BEING VERY DAMN CLOSE TO IT. 

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARA STRICKER IN PARIS.  CURATED BY ALEXANDRA SPENCER.