Unbuttoning Chanel
Unbuttoning the Chanel Manifesto, has to be the September hot topic, as we reflect on Mademoiselle Gabrielle’s legacy, even if we only get a feint glimpse into the real Coco, and her rags to riches story, resulting ever since in monumental global success. Looks like, every aspiring fashionista still desires a piece of her brand, be it lipstick, pearls, or perfume No 5, even if one is unable to ascend to Haute Couture. Spend 10 mins in its honeypot, at Rue Gambon and you will get a fascinating insight of its clientele.
Until I visited the current exhibition at the V&A, and had previously seen Chanel Prive 2015, at the Saatchi gallery, (which was possibly more about Lagerfeld than Coco) I hadn’t realised the subtilty of her influence, on my own forty plus year career. I totally identified with her passion for fabric, recognised how she used it inside and outside garments, right down to sequences of soft ornamental bows.
Coming from The Outer Hebrides, age 19 as a “70’s alumni of The Glasgow School of Art, I hadn’t quite cut my teeth on dressmaking, but was sufficiently enthrawled by the work of home- grown talent, like Bill Gibb, Jean Muir and Zandra Rhodes. I didn’t give much thought to Chanel, who in 1970 luxed living in a Paris, Ritz penthouse.
Speaking of the Paris Ritz, I’ve become newly familiar with a measure of its grandeur, but at below-stairs level, after my recent masterclass in Jus and Sauces at its Escoffier. You may well ask, what this has to do with Couture? In brief, and for over the thirty odd years, my husband and I have enjoyed the highest level of French cuisine. In times past, we have sneaked one of their famous French Bresse hens, (as served at the recent Royal banquet at Versailles) in our luggage. It’s a practice no longer permitted! Learning how to make the most delicious jus from scratch, was exceptional. Patisserie next, methinks.
The Paris experience has been a large part of my aesthetic life. The one address on my list this visit, but missed, was a visit to Azzedine Alaia’s shop. On my return, I realised two
joint exhibitions called Alaia/Gres, between The Palais Galliera and Fodation Alaia, were about to open. It shows items from Alaia’s private collection of 20,000 garments, which he had been collecting in secret at auctions, since the mid 60’s. I thought I had a lot of “stash”, but this is another level! I’ve been a great admirer of his signature, seeing him as a sculptor of clothing. In my mind, he was less interested in traditional textiles, but liased instead with an Italian company, who developed his heavy opaque jersey.
Our King and Queen made a state visit to Paris, 3 days after our trip. In 1938, our Late Queen Elizabeth, age 13, and her sister Princess Margaret, were gifted two dolls by the children of France, when their parents visited Paris, without them. They are called France AND Marianne, along with 360 items of clothing, including a car each. All are now in the Royal Collection. My miniature Collection, shrinks, in comparison.
What I have to keep reminding myself, is that none of these brands is the effort of one individual, but huge teams. Coco Chanel had 4000 employees at her busiest, Alexander McQueen currently has 32,000. I chose the path of the sole-trading artist, because uniqueness continues to be a something I strongly value, and in essence, something that is beyond fashion. I also have to keep reminding myself, lest I or anyone else forgets, that I too have a unique piece in the Royal Collection. www.sandramurray.co.uk