TONIGHT Chanel will stage its latest Metiers d'Art show in the perhaps unlikely destination of Dallas, chosen by Karl Lagerfeldhimself. But as the brand's president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, explains the city has much more resonance for the label than you might first think.
"He chooses themes linked to cities that inspire him and are consistent with the brand," Pavlovsky told us. "They generally have strong ties to Mademoiselle Chanel's life and inspiration, like London, Moscow, Shanghai, Byzance and Scotland where we held the last Métiers d'art show Paris-Edimbourg. All these places represented something to Mademoiselle Chanel - America, and notably Dallas, are part of our history, the American championed and supported Mademoiselle Chanel in the Fifties. They played a large part in putting Gabrielle Chanel back at the forefront of the international fashion."
It was the American press, not the British or French, that gave Chanel glowing reviews of her comeback collection in 1954, following her 15-year hiatus. US department store Neiman Marcus, founded in Dallas, was among the most supportive - presenting the designer for an award for her contribution to fashion in 1957.
"The American press and department stores spotted and appreciated the modernity of Mademoiselle Chanel's collections," explained Pavlovsky. "Her comfortable suits, for example were a huge success there."
Chanel's Metiers d'Art shows are known for being true fashion spectaculars; last season's took place in in the ruins of Linlithgow Palace, near Edinburgh in Scotland, while pre-spring/summer 2013 saw modelswalk around a maze of fountains in the palace of Versailles. Why is the scale of the show so important to the brand?
"It is a way of turning our attention to an important market - of offering to our clients there - and often also offering the public - the opportunity to experience the brand in a new way," said Pavlovsky. "All these events are a way for Chanel to showcase the quality, creativity and sophistication of our collections and products. They allow us to feed the imagination around our collections and the brand."
Yet despite such high expectations from the fashion press, Pavlovsky never worries that his shows won't live up to the last.
"With Karl Lagerfeld we have worked together for 20 years now," he said. "That is a solid basis for confidence.
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