Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.

>> My garden like most people’s gardens in the Northern hemisphere, is barren at the moment. I’ve got hydrangeas with brown petals, withered wisteria branches and mulchy grass. Chez Chanel, a hot house nurtured by Karl Lagerfeld and watered by Jean Baptiste Giabiconi can miraculously bloom and blossom in mere seconds. I was of course pleasantly surprised that Chanel hadn’t in fact shunned me for life and I was welcomed into this horticultural wonder for the latest S/S 15 haute couture show. In lieu of the collection arriving in London for an event in late February, where I can get up close and personal with it, I thought I’d save my indepth thoughts and detailed write-up until then but suffice to say, whilst florals for spring may not necessarily be groundbreaking, it’s certainly a welcome and refreshing respite, post feminist-gate. Let’s pause and be floored by the set first and foremost. Pale green foliage hides secret mechanics below the ground that spur paper cut flowers to appear magically. Up close, each bloom is painted beautifully with watercolours. Their graphic 3-D pop-up structure mirrors the painstakingly intricate embroidery that also seems to spring out from the clothes themselves. Who needs groundbreaking when you have unadulterated prettiness?