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Paris —
My official business in Paris this week was to attend the haute couture shows, but throughout my time in the French capital I kept bumping into art. This is unsurprising in a city where you can’t walk more than a few yards before being drawn into a gallery or museum, but art was also woven into many of the collections. Fashion and the art world have long been bedfellows, and haute couture in particular is as close to art as fashion gets, but there’s something else going on. My take: In a challenging economy, the luxury world is hustling to connect with its customers, and art and culture are tried and true conversation starters.
Even at Chanel — a brand that, with the creative steer of Matthieu Blazy, is having absolutely zero problems selling things — a live artist by the name of Joël Blanc was stationed front row to paint the show. Blazy’s collection centered on the idea of fairytales – the large twisting vines in the Grand Palais, recalling “Jack and the Beanstalk,” set the scene for whimsical storytelling through perfectly made clothes, with magic beans (and the occasional golden egg!) scattered throughout. See: delight-inducing shoes, a little row of ugly duckling to swan buttons, and a black revenge dress with wings that chased down the bridal gown.
