The scene is serene and almost peaceful the day before Chanel’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer show in mid-January at the couture ateliers that sit on the upper floors of the brand’s legendary Rue Cambon address. It is sunny outside, though the wind is brisk. But inside the atelier it is warm and light-filled. A radio softly plays the strains of the Beach Boys as petits mains (seamstresses) are hard at work putting the finishing touches to delicate yet intricate couture pieces that will grace the runways of the Grand Palais in 24 hours.
A man is painstakingly sewing on an exquisite bridal veil — the pièce de résistance that was embroidered for Chanel by embroidery house Lesage. It will be paired with a knee-length, belted bridal gown as the show’s final look the following day. Elsewhere, sumptuous silk linings are stitched into hand-woven tweed jackets and cream-coloured sequins — strung lengthwise like a stack of coins, rather than sewed on flat — are being painstakingly assembled and stitched onto the fabric. This is laborious and time-consuming work, but also takes a certain patience and stillness that seems almost alien amidst the bustle of the busy streets just below us. There is a sense of anticipation in the air, but also a reassuring calm.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Look At Us
As public memorials face a public reckoning, there’s still too little thought paid to how women are represented — as bodies and as selves.
Two New Jewellery Collections Find Their Inspiration In The Human Anatomy
Two new jewellery collections find their inspiration in the human anatomy.
She For She
We speak to three women in Singapore who are trying to improve the lives of women — and all other gender identities — through their work.
Over The Rainbow
How the bright colours and lively prints created by illustrator Donald Robertson brought the latest Weekend Max Mara Flutterflies capsule collection to life.
What Is Love?
The artist Hank Willis Thomas discusses his partnership with the Japanese fashion label Sacai and the idea of fashion in the context of the art world.
The Luxury Hotel For New Mums
Singapore’s first luxury confinement facility, Kai Suites, aims to provide much more than plush beds and 24-hour infant care: It wants to help mothers with their mental and emotional wellbeing as well.
Who Gets To Eat?
As recent food movements have focused on buying local or organic, a deeper and different conversation is happening among America’s food activists: one that demands not just better meals for everyone but a dismantling of the structures that have failed to nourish us all along.
Reimagining The Future Of Fashion
What do women want from their clothes and accessories, and does luxury still have a place in this post-pandemic era? The iconic designer Alber Elbaz thinks he has the answers with his new label, AZ Factory.
A Holiday At Home
Once seen as the less exciting alternative to an exotic destination holiday, the staycation takes on new importance.
All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go
Chinese supermodel He Sui talks about the unseen pressures of being an international star, being a trailblazer for East Asian models in the fashion world, and why, at the end of the day, she is content with being known as just a regular girl from Wenzhou.
