saving the art of French haute couture

by Sharon Santoni

my french country home, chanel couture

Paris has just seen three days of breathtaking beauty and design as the greatest of la haute couture revealed their autumn collection.

 

chanel

La haute couture doesn’t have a lot to do with daily life for most people, certainly not for me, but I stand in awe of the craftsmanship and dedication behind this über refined side to fashion.

my french country home, chanel couture

Chanel always draws my eye.  I am fascinated by the history and savoir faire of course, but there is another aspect to Chanel which touches me in particular.

my french country home, chanel couture

In 2002, Chanel created a company called Paraffection  (which means ‘out of affection’) with the aim of saving French fashion art craft houses who risked closing down or being sold to foreign owners.  Many of their protégés were founded  between 70 and 120 years ago, and their expertise and reputation have been consolidated through the generations.

Of course there is a financial interest for Chanel, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there is also a strong sense of responsibility as guardians of French tradition, elegance and expertise.

lesage embroidery, my french country home

Paraffection’s first acquisition was Desrue, an expert button maker.  Following this they bought Michel the milliner; Lemarié who makes beautiful feather creations; Goosens famous for costume jewellry and of course the fantastic house of Lesage who creates the world famous embroidery.

my french country home, chanel couture

Today there are ten of these ateliers who technically belong to Chanel, while maintaining  their artistic independence.

In today’s world, where quality and art are increasingly sacrificed to economy, I love this conscious effort to save beauty …. for the sake of beauty.

 

Photos 1,2,& 3 thanks to Chanel News.

 

 

22 comments

Vicky from Athens July 12, 2014 - 12:19 am

How gorgeous! Really reminds me of Audrey Hepburn even though she wore a good bit Givenchy – in fact, I never remember seeing her in Chanel. Nevertheless . . . so timeless and elegant! I so enjoyed today’s post!

Reply
Marianne July 12, 2014 - 1:36 am

What wonderful craftsmen ship. The French have always
been so good in fashion. I enjoyed seeing this post . Thank you for sharing .

Reply
carolanne July 12, 2014 - 2:50 am

so love Chanel, not surprized they would do something so important !

Reply
ann hodgkins July 12, 2014 - 3:03 am

Thank you for this post.
It is very important to try to save the unique producers of quality items.
Once they are gone it is very difficult to bring back the wonderful small companies.

Reply
Gail Y. Bennett July 12, 2014 - 4:08 am

I am so pleased (as always) with this presentation. The true craftsmanship of haute couture lies in the passion. I highly value the dressmakers and it is critical that the culture is preserved.
This is such a delightful post!

Reply
Lory Bernstein July 12, 2014 - 4:27 am

Brilliant brand management, Chanel’s éléments éternels. I wish we had someone to safeguard the artisans in all industries…

Reply
Lory Bernstein July 12, 2014 - 4:30 am

Btw, that cuff is magnificent!

Reply
Kerrie in France July 12, 2014 - 7:09 am

Bravo Chanel. I love that french attitude of excellence for it’s own sake. Thank you Sharon for this story.

Reply
Sandy Jones July 12, 2014 - 10:13 am

You referenced Chanel News. What is that? So please that Carl is supporting French companies. Nothing wrong with having a financial interest in them. That is how capitalism succeeds.

Reply
sharon santoni July 13, 2014 - 9:47 pm

Hi Sandy
Chanel News is a website that I found while researching this blogpost. It is a communication site that Chanel uses to release latest updates. Good source of information! 🙂

xx

Reply
Delaine July 12, 2014 - 10:53 am

Love this post! Chanel has always appealed to me….so classic and timeless. So glad they, in essence, are trying to save haute couture. Coco would be pleased!

Reply
sharon santoni July 13, 2014 - 9:48 pm

Yes, I think Coco would approve of the initiative!

xx

Reply
Jane July 12, 2014 - 11:10 am

Thank you for sharing the beautiful and magnificent world of French haute couture!

Reply
Beth July 12, 2014 - 11:53 am

That’s amazing – thanks for sharing!

Reply
Rita C at Panoply July 12, 2014 - 11:55 am

I have followed Chanel for a number of years, but did not know about Paraffection. What a great thing, preserving the companies which, no doubt, are those whose details are what Chanel herself always insisted upon in her collections – the buttons, threads, jewelry, etc.
Thanks for sharing that (and those gorgeous images)!
Rita

Reply
Karena July 12, 2014 - 2:59 pm

Dear Sharon. I love hearing about this, it is so important to cherish these artists and artisans! Couture fashion is just that, works of art!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena

Reply
Karen Sternberg July 12, 2014 - 3:01 pm

Absolutely breathtaking pieces. I understand Karl has done quite a bit to preserve French craftsmenship, from shoes to beading! God bless him. The art of using one’s hands, takes time and patience, often skills overlooked in today’s world. Great post, thank you!

Reply
Rita July 12, 2014 - 3:46 pm

I enjoyed reading this post!

Reply
dahi. July 12, 2014 - 4:02 pm

i have enjoyed reading this post.
i’m also always in awe about the dedication and sophistication one can see in every piece of chanel haute couture. karl lagerfeld is indeed my greatest fashion hero.

thank you for sharing your thoughts.

x
dahi

Reply
Si je veux July 12, 2014 - 5:19 pm

Thank you to Karl!

Not only has he been saving exquisite French companies from demise, but he has also been saving Scottish ones!

Vive the Auld Alliance!

Reply
Janice July 12, 2014 - 7:47 pm

I really admire the craftmanship of these talented people. Please never let it disappear or be devalued in any way. Well done to the House of Chanel.

Reply
Teje Ellis July 12, 2014 - 10:09 pm

It was a wonderful post, and I am pleased to hear about Paraffection. It is refreshing to hear about the desire to support art in all its forms!

Reply

Leave a Comment