If, like most people, you are somewhat connected to social media, we are guessing that by now you have been inundated with Tweets, Instagram posts and Facebook updates about Chanel's 2014/15 Cruise runway show, held on 13th May in Dubai. At Bespoke, we like to go one better, so we are bringing you exclusive behind-the-scenes shots from the event.
Why Dubai? In addition to its Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter extravaganzas at the Grand Palais during Paris' semi-annual fashion weeks, the French powerhouse has pioneered the concept of destination shows, held during off-season periods. Previous locations have included Singapore, Versailles, Saint-Tropez, Venice, Miami, New York's Grand Central Terminal and even a giant plane hangar in Los Angeles.
How did Dubai compare? True to type, the Emirate was not shy about throwing its full weight behind the event, even allowing the venerable maison to host the show on a private man-made island owned by the Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A custom venue was created just for the occasion, featuring Bedouin-style floor seating, a roof structure supported by numerous artificial palms, and lavish use of gold-leaf wooden screens that combined traditional musharabiyya craftsmanship with Chanel's interlocking C's.
The thousand or so guests were brought to the island by abra boats and took part in a Karl Lagerfeld masterclass, which included eighty-four looks, among them a mini-thobe worn by his five-year-old muse, Hudson Kroenig. Naturally, the curtain came down to a standing ovation, but for this enthusiastic crowd, at least, the appreciation was sincere.
