Chanel shows Cruise collection in Havana with Latin beats

Relaxnews

The French fashion house headed to Havana to present its Cruise 2016-2017 collection, in the brand’s first ever Latin American catwalk show. To celebrate the event, Karl Lagerfeld crafted a collection bursting with life, with color and with sparkle, and jam-packed with references to the Caribbean island and the new chapter in its history.
It was on the Cuban capital’s El Paseo del Prado — a wide boulevard lined with trees and multicolored facades — that the French luxury brand unveiled its new collection, mixing the signature chic of Chanel with
vibrant Cuban folklore inspirations. The result was a lineup of looks brimming with vivid colors, peppered with sparkle — sequins in particular — and channeling a multitude of references to the island.
The collection, like the event, was stamped with the luxury brand’s trademark traits. Even before the catwalk show took over the street, attendees were greeted on the boulevard by lion statues, a favorite symbol of Gabrielle Chanel. Tweed evidently had a strong place in the collection, and head-to-toe black-and-white looks sat alongside an array of more brightly colored pieces. Parisian chic was also channeled through the accessories and jewelry presented by the brand.
There were plenty of references to Cuba in this catwalk collection. Aside from the show’s soundtrack of Latin music, the collection generally seemed a little more festive than usual. Color obviously had a key role to play, along with the sequins sparkling on many garments and accessories, but this “Coco Cuba” collection also gave off a certain feeling of nonchalance.
A long, flowing dress, worn over a white shirt with rolled up sleeves, was decorated with a Cuban car motif; large flowers bloomed on the necks of T-shirts and shirts; and
slogans like “Viva Coco Cuba Libre” were splashed across colorful T-shirts. Plus, garments were seen adorned with patterns of all kinds, including flowers, sometimes printed and sometimes embroidered.
Karl Lagerfeld even drew on Latin dance, with garments directly
inspired by the cha-cha-cha and the tango.
As for accessories, Chanel’s iconic pearl necklaces were seen finished with flowers, along with certain bracelets and belts. Models wore Panama hats in a selection of prints and colors, as well as sequined black beret hats in a nod to the brand’s
native France.