Chanel creative director Virginie Viard was inspired by Impressionist painters and their work for her latest Haute Couture collection

"It was when I rediscovered these portraits of Gabrielle Chanel dressed up in black or white 1880s style dresses, that I immediately thought about tableaux," says Virginie Viard in a statement. “Works by Berthe Morisot, Marie Laurencin and Édouard Manet. There are impressionist-inspired dresses, skirts that look like paintings and a long white satin dress punctuated with black bows like Morisot's...”

Viard took this notion and interpreted it across the couture looks this season, creating pieces from jackets to skirts worthy of being framed.

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

Sequins were used moulded to create a three-dimensional shape to mimic the swish of paint swabs. Feathers were trimmed and one by one to either imitate a velveteen texture or a weightless flounce on skirts. 

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

An intricate combination of coloured threads on tweed created an abstract tableau much like an Impressionist painting. And flowers in fresh cotton candy pink or zesty lemon hues decorated the vibrant collection.

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

Last but not least, the buttons were just as carefully crafted, from the painter's palette to bejewelled buttons that fit seamlessly with the pattern on the jackets. 

Topics