Frédéric David/Chanel

Olivier Saillant/Chanel

Paris editor Lola Cristall will have her report from the Paris haute couture shows shortly in Lucire. Among them, Chanel showed its spring–summer 2015 collection beneath the dome at the Grand Palais, in one of the most memorable.
   By way of preview of Lucire’s upcoming piece, here are glimpses of a very delicate, light and airy collection from Karl Lagerfeld, shown in front of a celebrity audience that included Chanel ambassadors Kristen Stewart, Vanessa Paradis and Alice Dellal (who have all been chosen to be the faces of the Chanel handbags’ campaign to be released in April), Anna Mouglalis, Gaspard Ulliel, Clotilde Hesme, Alma Jodorowsky, Anne Berest, G-Dragon, Dylan Penn and Stacy Martin.
   The greenhouse setting was intentional as a bouquet appeared, with orange, red, pink, blue, yellow and green as Chanel’s colours for spring. Short tops, jackets and blouses, long coats, dropped waists, both full and pencil-cut skirts, wide brimmed hats and tweed jackets with three-quarter-length sleeves contribute to the vintage garden look. Embroidered flowers, tulle and sequins sparkle for the evening.

Olivier Saillant/Chanel

Above The home page of the Spark My Potential website.

Following on from its Spark Lab Fashion Month announcement, the New Zealand telco will support one New Zealander who wishes to start in the fashion industry.
   The successful applicant, to be announced on February 27 as Fashion Month concludes, will be supported through the crowd-funding initiative, Spark My Potential. They will receive access to coaching, publicity and top-up funding through the Spark Foundation, says the company.
   New Zealanders are invited to apply by emailing fashionmonth@spark.co.nz before February 20, 2015, detailing the project, goal, funding target and timeline.
   ‘Whether you want to create your own fashion line, you need help entering this year’s Fashion Week, or you want to do something completely outside the square, we’d like to hear from you,’ said Spark GM for Home, Mobile and Business Jason Paris in a release.

Lola Cristall

The March for Unity that took place today in Paris was announced as the largest demonstration in the history of France, with an estimated 1·5 million to 2 million on the capital’s streets. The interior ministry believes that there had not been so many since the liberation of Paris in August 1944. A number of people from around the world, politicians and celebrities walked the streets throughout the afternoon.
   Lucire’s Paris editor Lola Cristall took these photographs as she joined others to commemorate and celebrate the victims of Paris’s terror attacks last week.
   The deaths included staff at the satirical Charlie Hebdo, where cartoonists Charb, Cabu, Tignous et Wolinski (the pen names for Stéphane Charbonnier, who was also editor, Jean Cabut, Bernard Verlhac and Georges Wolinski) and police officers Franck Brinsolaro and Ahmed Merabat were slain in a massacre on Wednesday. Police officer Clarissa Jean-Philippe was killed the following day in a related attack, and four civilians were killed in a siege on Friday.
   ‘While my domain is predominantly the luxury and entertainment sector, the pictures might be of interest to some people to see how so many came together in the city to support the innocent journalists, artists and victims,’ said Cristall.
   ‘The city is coming together as one. They were phenomenal artists,’ she added.
   Those in the march chanted, ‘On est tous Charlie’ (‘We are all Charlie’) and ‘Charlie Charlie Charlie,’ holding up banners and placards, reading everything from ‘Je suis Charlie’ (‘I am Charlie’), which began trending on the day of the massacre on Tumblr and other social media, and ‘Nous sommes Charlie’ (‘We are Charlie’) to ‘Je suis Muslim’ (‘I am Muslim’). French flags, hearts and Charlie Hebdo covers were also seen in the march.
   World leaders also participated in the march, including French president François Hollande, HM Queen Rania of Jordan, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, British prime minister David Cameron, Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Këita, Polish prime minister Ewa Kopacz, Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, US attorney-general Eric Holder, European Council president Donald Tusk, and UK opposition leader Ed Miliband were also present.
   Reporters sans frontières were critical of the presence of Davutoglu and Shoukry, as their countries had restricted press freedoms.
   Public transport was free in Paris to discourage private car use for the march.
   Earlier in the week, Jean Paul Gaultier and his staff posed for a photograph where they held up ‘Je suis Charlie’ print-outs, showing unity with the fallen journalists.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Above Jean Paul Gaultier and his staff with ‘Je suis Charlie’ banners, showing solidarity with the fallen at the massacre at Charlie Hebdo. Below More scenes from Paris on Friday and during the March for Unity on Sunday.












Lola Cristall

Karl Lagerfeld has unveiled the 13th Chanel Métiers d’Art collection in Salzburg, Austria, recognizing its historical connection with Gabrielle Chanel (she got the inspiration for the Chanel jacket there, at the Hotel Schloss Mittersill, then owned by Baron Hubert von Pantz, with whom she had a fling). Lagerfeld discusses his collection in the video clip below, which showcases the Paris–Salzburg collection, featuring Cara Delevingne, who not only closed the show, but is the face of the collection itself.
   The presentation, at the Leopoldskron château, showcased the fine work of the feather-workers, milliners, tuckers and bootmakers. Lagerfeld took inspiration from traditional Austrian clothing, revisiting the dirndls and lederhosen, using loden, tweed, felt, leather and satin cashmere mix, taffeta and lace. Evening dresses featured pin-tucked fronts, frills, pleats and voluminous sleeves.
   ‘You can take inspiration from the apron, from the sleeves, from all the little details, but you have to forget it all and we do it in a new way,’ said Lagerfeld. ‘The star of Salzburg is about the jacket, but what I like is the craftsmanship, the embroidery with all the feathers. There is an unbelievable craftsmanship in all those clothes: most of the embroidery includes stones and many feathers, it’s like fur, it’s like flying fur. If you look at them closely, it’s quite unbelievable; when you see them or you touch them. So I tried, with beautiful fake pearls, to make interesting pearl jewellery that looks like embroidery. It’s the updated version of what I think it should be, could be, and had to be today.’
   In New York celebrity sightings, Lady Gaga has been spotted wearing the Blake wide-brim hat in oyster felt with pearl trim from Eugenia Kim’s fall 2014 collection last week, while Eva Longoria wore a Ralph & Russo spring–summer 2014 white silk crêpe cap sleeve embellished jacket with structured peplum, pencil skirt and black alligator belt to the ninth annual L’Oréal Women of Worth event.
   L’Oréal Paris notes that Longoria’s look uses True Match liquid foundation in C2 Rose Vanilla, the Volume Million Lashes Excess in Extra Black, Color Riche Le Kajal in 501 Oriental Black, the Super Liner Brow Artist Plumper in medium to dark, and the Elnett Volume Excess hairspray. Blake Lively, very much this year’s L’Oréal Paris celebrity with all the attention she garnered at Cannes, was also at Women of Worth, her look accomplished with True Match in N3 Creamy Beige, the Glam Bronze Powder Duo in 101 Blonde, the Flash Lash Butterfly in Intenza, Txt Wave Creating Spray, and the Nude Rose Color Riche La Palette.

   Polish model Anja Rubik, 31, meanwhile, has released her new perfume, Original. At Colette in Paris, she discusses some of her beauty tips from her career, including using eyelash curlers and moisturizing your skin. Rubik also reveals that Brigitte Bardot is her ‘ultimate beauty’, and rates Charlotte Gainsbourg and Patty Smyth highly.
   The perfume scents are those that have followed her over the years, namely white lilies and green tea, while the black-and-white imagery was inspired by her love of black-and-white photography and the work of Robert Mapplethorpe.
   Carrera y Carrera is going from strength to strength: the Madrid-based luxury jewellery brand has opened a boutique in Macau, as a first beach-head into China. Manuel Carrera, a fourth-generation descendant of the Carrera family who founded the brand, was on hand with CEO Svetlana Kupriyanova.
   Finally, in the main part of our site, travel editor Stanley Moss fits museums and great food into 48 hours in Torino, while publisher Jack Yan tests the BMW X1 Sdrive18d—readers might like the title.

The Fédération française de la couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode, l’Institut français de la mode, the China Garment Association and the China Fashion Association came together to celebrate half a century of unity. Following the China–France fashion summit, Ji Wenbo (left) presented his most recent collection at the prestigious Hôtel d’Evreux at la Place Vendôme. Ji, who is also director of the China Fashion Designers’ Association of Fashion and Art Committee, is known as the ‘king of fashion’ in China. He is head designer of Li Lang, a famous menswear brand. His outlook on the western fashion world incorporates a stunning, vivacious colour palette and original, effervescent styles. Imperial and bold shades came to life on the green and gold catwalk, with delicate prints on bold fabric.
   Pandora and brand ambassador Kellie Pickler, along with lifestyle expert Tai Beauchamp, hosted the Hearts of Today Awards at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. Pandora is more than just a fine jewellery company: it also serves to support good causes. The concept was launched in July and serves to honour and celebrate females who work to improve the lives of women and children. The eight chosen honorees, out of 700 nominations, are each provided with $25,000 that would help them continue to reach their desired goal in ameliorating lives.
   Wacoal Europe invited guests to an intimate evening at the Salon Paul Ricard. The venue featured a number of Wacoal collections, from vibrant shades to neutral colours that attracted onlookers as they touched, felt and admired. Premier by Dead Sea, a brand founded in 1990 specializing in body, skin and hair rejuvenation for men and women, presented guests with natural products that revitalize hands and nails. Lillet featured their distinctive, delicate and sweet French aperitif wines, reviving one’s taste buds. In order to indulge in light-tasting guilty pleasures, Yohan Kim—once Joël Robuchon’s pastry chef—introduced a number of delicate French pastries from financiers with green tea to madeleine and pâte de fruits, exploding with bursts of fruity delight. Throughout the evening, numerous illustrations by Eudoxie were projected on the wall for the audience to enjoy.—Lola Cristall, Paris editor

New Zealand menswear tailors Rembrandt Suits and Wayward Heir have revealed their summer 2014–15 collections, paying homage to the coveted summer holiday. Designer Jonathon Hall puts the loyal jacket front and centre in the Rembrandt collection, with the pièce de résistance being the crease resistant ultimate travel jacket, the Halcyon.
   To prove their confidence in the jacket, professional footballer Paul Ifill tested the Halcyon (captured in the video below), and Hall recently took the jacket on a 15-day tour of Europe’s fabric fairs (search Instagram for the hashtag #halcyonontour, and see some of the photographs at the bottom of this article).

   With the holiday season fast approaching, Hall takes us through Rembrandt and Wayward Heir’s top ten must-haves for a summer escape.

   1. Rembrandt’s wool–mohair Halcyon, the definitive travel jacket. This unlined lightweight jacket, available in navy and silver-grey, is strong and durable with an exceptional resistance to wrinkles, making it the ultimate fabric for travelling across town, or around the world.

   2. Rembrandt cotton-stretch Beck trousers: narrow fit with plenty of stretch, perfect dressed up or down and exceptionally comfortable to wear on long-haul flights.

   3. An unlined cotton or linen jacket; for a more relaxed look choose between Wayward Heir’s Rimini and Rembrandt’s double-breasted Cornwall jacket.

   4. Blue Hoxton cotton-stretch jeans: they perfectly fill the gap between a jean and a chino.

   5. Wayward Heir Japanese selvedge Garage jeans: a great pair of jeans can take you anywhere.

   6. At least one slim white shirt, a classic that you can wear with anything, for any event.

   7. A Rembrandt Liberty print shirt: dress it up, dress it down, enjoy.

   8. Good shoes. Ones that you’ve worn in. Don’t travel with a brand new pair of shoes, you’ll regret it.

   9. A Rembrandt reversible belt: it can do double-duty with either black or brown shoes.

   10. Pocket squares: even if you’re not wearing a tie, a pocket square in your jacket completes any look. Just make sure one of them is white linen.

Travel tip

When flying, the best way to keep creases out of your jacket (even the crease-resistant Halcyon) is to hang it. A seat-back hook is better than folding, but ideally you could request it gets hung in the cabin wardrobe.

Dan Sims

Above, from top Poppy Delevingne, Joan Smalls, Karlie Kloss, and Cara Delevingne, Model of the Year. Victoria Beckham, winning Brand of the Year. Emma Watson, who won the British Style Award.

Before an audience of 2,070 at the London Coliseum, the 2014 British Fashion Awards have seen Erdem and J. W. Anderson take out the coveted prizes of Womenswear Designer of the Year and Menswear Designer of the Year respectively. Anya Hindmarch was named the Accessories’ Designer of the Year.
   Actress Michelle Dockery, racing driver Lewis Hamilton, and models Karolína Kurková and Eva Herzigová, presented the much-awaited top three awards of the night.
   Actress Emma Watson won the British Style Award in a public vote (based on 3,000 participants), as the individual who best embodies the spirit of British fashion and is an international ambassador for London as a fashion capital. Harry Styles presented her award.
   Celebrity presenters on the night included Kylie Minogue, Naomie Harris, Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Irvine, Liya Kebede, John Galliano, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Naomi Campbell, Suzy Menkes, OBE, Karlie Kloss, Joan Smalls and Poppy Delevingne, Kate Moss, and Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw.
   Victoria Beckham was named the best brand, recognizing her work in distribution, retail, campaigns and ecommerce.
   Cara Delevingne became the Model of the Year, while the Alexander McQueen brand took home the Red Carpet Designer award for creating global awareness of its designs in the media. Sarah Burton collected the award for the Alexander McQueen label from supermodel Moss.
   Preen was the awarded Establishment Designer of the Year with her work in global retail and ecommerce, while Simone Rocha was named the New Establishment Designer, for her impact on the industry.
   Of the awards named earlier, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, OBE, was given the Outstanding Achievement Award for her contribution to the industry. W fashion and style director Edward Enninful won the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, and Chris Moore won the Special Recognition Award for his six-decade-long career and contribution to the industry.
   Names to look out for are Marques’Almeida, which won the Emerging Womenswear Designer award, Craig Green, the Emerging Menswear Designer winner, and Prism, the Emerging Accessory Designer winner.
   Nicolas Ghesquière, for Louis Vuitton, was recognized as the non-British designer who helped shape the fashion industry in the past year both in the UK and internationally, with the International Designer award.
   Louis Vuitton was recognized for its advertising in 2014 with the Creative Campaign award.
   The late Prof Louise Wilson of Central Saint Martins was also honoured in a special tribute, with looks by designers she had taught, including Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou.
   There were 63 nominees in total for the various categories, with 400 industry members worldwide casting their vote.
   Sponsors for the British Fashion Awards 2014 are Swarovski as principal partner; Canon, MAC, Toni & Guy and Vodafone as presenting sponsors; and American Express, Marks & Spencer, Mercedes-Benz, Penhaligon’s and Rightster. The British Fashion Council also recognizes Fashion Monitor and Harrogate Spa.

Dan Sims

Above, from top Michelle Dockery, and Womenswear Designer of the Year Erdem Moralioglu. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Red carpet highlights

Highlights

Prism: Emerging Accessory Designer

Anya Hindmarch: Accessory Designer of the Year

Marques’Almeida: Emerging Womenswear Designer

Cara Delevingne: Model of the Year

J. W. Anderson: Menswear Designer of the Year

Edward Enninful: Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator

Victoria Beckham: Brand of the Year

Emma Watson: British Style Award

Louis Vuitton: Creative Campaign Award

Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton: International Designer

Alexander McQueen: Red Carpet Designer

Erdem: Womenswear Designer of the Year

Chris Moore: British Fashion Council Special Recognition Award

Doug Rimington/Detune Photography

Above Marques’Almeida is the name to look out for in British fashion, as the label won the Emerging Womenswear Designer award at the British Fashion Awards 2014 tonight.

Above This campaign helped net Louis Vuitton the Creative Campaign Award at the British Fashion Awards tonight.

Designer Fadwa Baruni has launched a UAE National Day-themed collection in association with Professionelle Boutique in Dubai Mall, available from November to the day itself on December 2.
   The dress design features the colours of the country’s flag, using silk and other high-quality fabrics. It features red, black and white, with a deep shade of green.
   Iraqi actress Alaa Shaker will promote the dress, while photographer Mohammed Al Marzouqi and Poupa Salon & Nail Spa have contributed to the promotion.
   Professionelle Boutique is on level 1 of the Dubai Mall, facing Shakespeare & Co.