Dissecting The Origin

64

65

DISSECTING THE ORIGIN

Seven decades after its inception, the little black jacket is still the beating heart of Chanel’s ready-to-wear. Join L’Officiel Indonesia as we gets an exclusive glimpse to the creation of a lifetime masterpiece.

BY CARISSA VICKY

CREDIT PHOTO

MODE

The image of Cara Delevingne in Victorian ball gown waltzing around with the Happy hitmaker, Pharell Williams, would probably still lingers somewhere in the corner of our mind. Entitled Reincarnation, the 8-minutes video that debuted in December 2014 was originally set to be an opening act to Chanel’s Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d’Art Collection.

With the help of social media, of course, it turned into something much more than just an opening act.

A hype, more like it. While many of us were blown away by the collaboration set by Kaiser Karl himself, we often forget how Reincarnation tells the story of how an elevator boy’s jacket being reincarnated into a timeless piece as we know it today, The Little Black Jacket.

AT TH E BEGI N N I N G...

There was a suit.

Intended to liberate women from the restrictive fashion of the 1950s, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel designed a suit for women on the move. A piece that could be worn during the day and into the night, yet still offered comfort and functional styling. As the Mademoiselle herself said, “I wanted to give women clothes that they would feel comfortable in, that they could drive in but that, at the same time, would emphasize their femininity”.

The creation of this particular piece Coco Chanel was talking about dated back to the 1954. It was during her stay in Schloss Mittersil in Salzburg, Austria that Coco Chanel first found the inspiration for her signature collarless bouclé jacket that has now been a fundamental part of Chanel’s legacy.

MODE

66

67

“The eternal can only last if it stays up-to-date at the same time. For this reason, the jacket is eternal” - KARL LAGERFELD

In the words of Mr. Lagerfeld, the Chanel jacket is essentially a man’s jacket that has become a typically feminine piece. Just as she borrowed tweed from the Duke of Westminster and jersey from Boy Capel, Coco Chanel, who took a liking to a traditional Tyrolean jacket, has successfully transformed a gentleman’s piece into a symbol of feminine elegance.

SIDE UNSEEN

The jacket remains relatively unchanged until today. Boxy, structured and closes from edge to edge, the jacket still maintains the same silhouette since the first time Coco Chanel imagined it. The jackets, along with its variations, are still made by hands at the atelier. Despite the constant innovation with each coming season, these jackets are still created to the same exacting standards at Rue Cambon.

With the belief that a garment’s elegance lies in the freedom of movement it allows, every step to a classic Chanel jacket is a relentless quest to comfort.

No shoulder pads were used, believing that these would stiffen the jacket.

Instead, Chanel assembled the front of the jacket on the straight grain without using any bust darts. The same technique was used on the back of the jacket to make it supple, whilst still maintaining its form. Both sides were then joined by a side inset panel, which was intended to further increase the jacket’s flexibility. The sleeves were set high on the shoulder to ensure maximum comfort. Ergonomically designed with a slight curvature, the sleeves also contributed to Chanel’s desire for comfort. In addition, to achieve just the right degree of freedom of movement, Chanel would get her clients to cross their arms at the shoulders when taking their measurements.

Neatly concealed by the lining, a tiny brass chain is sewn around the bottom hem to weight the jacket so that it hangs flawlessly on the body. The signature braided trim are use to emphasised the jacket’s line, pocket edges and cuffs. Embellishments have varied over time: buttons, jewels, camellias, and, from 1959 onwards, the interlocking double “C” motif.

CREDIT PHOTO

True to the words of Karl Lagerfeld, “Some things never go out of fashion in the world of fashion: jeans, the white shirt, and the Chanel jacket.”

Chanel’s Little Black Jacket has been the staple item to any modern women’s closet. The modernity and versatility are still celebrated from generation to generation. Taking cue from menswear, the original little black jacket lacks embellishments in excess, instead allowing for rich pairings to suit any character. It is an achievement in and of itself for Chanel to invent a type of piece that had never before existed in a particular form that still relevant until today. It is a genuine icon that embodies the essence of Chanel.

CREDIT PHOTO

ENDURING LEGACY