Does anyone remember the magnificent elaborate flowers from the Chanel Spring/Summer Haute Couture show back in 2009?
It was an absolute feast for the eyes..everywhere you looked there was a sea of white, exquisite, giant paper flowers either cascading down staircases or draping down from gigantic pillars! I believe that over 7,000 intricate flowers had been designed and handmade for the show based on Karl Lagerfeld's creative vision.
According to www.Chanel.com (https://www.chanel.com/th/fashion/news/2009/01/monochrome-white.html on January 27th, 2009)
Karl Lagerfeld, Fashion Designer and Chanel's Creative Director said - "A white page,” says Karl Lagerfeld, “a linear and timeless graphic interpretation. It’s like a starting point for the story of this new era, for which all the details still need to be written. That is why I chose paper as the theme for the couture collection this season.”
I don't recall seeing images of this fabulous show till possibly years later. It was the first time that I had ever seen so many wonderfully elaborate and intricate paper flowers in the one place let alone seeing them associated with a global luxury fashion brand such as Chanel. Up until then I had only ever seen them perhaps in a craft magazine of sorts and had only considered paper flowers as a fun craft to make for home activities such as card making or seasonal home decor.
It was the moment of realisation that paper flowers can be so much more than that..they are an art form that can truly transform any wall or room for that special event or occasion.
Even today when I look again at these images I am inspired to create. I just love making bespoke floral pieces from paper, crepe paper, (environmentally-safe) foam or indeed a mixture of all of the above to create eye-catching feature pieces and striking displays for all of my clients.
Thanks,
Nodlaig
