ELLE.COM.AU / @ELLEAUS 127
BEHIND THE SEAMS
The term “Métiers d’Art” translates
to “artistic careers”, an apt title for
a collection designed to showcase
ęsavoir faireof the
artisans working in the French
¢ ěǰ
a subsidiary of Chanel. Since 2002,
creative director Karl Lagerfeld
has been developing a ready-
to-wear collection (outside the
Ĝ Ǽǰ
December every year with a view to preserving
the specialist ateliers’ unique know-how and
craftsmanship, including the ornamentation
Ĵ ǰ
Lemarié, the milliner Maison Michel, the
embroiderer Lesage, the shoemaker Massaro,
the pleater Lognon, the gold and silversmith
ǰ Ě ǰ
the embroiderer Montex and the glove maker
Causse. Here’s how they create the magic...ROOM SERVICE
An embellished bag reading
“Please Dare To Disturb”
ǻǼ
joyous mood of the show
TAKING
FLIGHT
Intricate work with
feathers on hemlines
and headpieces
reflected the skilled
hands of feather
worker Lemarié.
Chanel purchased the
establishment, one of
the last of its kind, in- Founded in 1880
when a hat without
a feather was unheard
of, it continues to
bring flights of fancy
to Lagerfeld’s
collections today.
ALL THAT’S GOLD
Chanel and other greats of French couture turn to Desrues, where
approximately 200 highly qualified employees work machines
that mould, sculpt, dye, gild, emboss, enamel or polish the most
sought-after buttons and jewellery in copper, pewter, silver,
mother-of-pearl, jet, wood, resin and galalith. It’s not hard to
see why Lagerfeld chooses to include a high level of costume
ornamentation and metal work in his Métiers d’Art collection.
He also works with Goossens, a favourite of Mademoiselle Chanel- the studio was established in 1950 by Robert Goossens and is
now directed by his son Patrick. Think of any piece of French
costume jewellery that is inspired by antiquity, Byzantium and
Egypt and, if it’s an original, chances are it will be Goossens.@