With its tailored femininity, French fashion house Chloé’s creations have long piqued the interest of smart taste-makers in the region. The maison recently had a string of displays on view across the UAE capital, as part of Flânerie Colbert Abu Dhabi, which explored French luxury and its cultural significance in the 21st century.
As part of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ‘10,000 Years of Luxury’ exhibition, which runs until 18 February 2020, Chloé showcased the wondrous ‘Casanova’ dress, an iconic design by Karl Lagerfeld. Karl worked with the brand from 1963 till 1978, and 1992 till 1997, and this dress is a reflection of his unique take on Chloé’s distinct aesthetic vocabulary.
Under the theme of ‘Making Luxury’, luxury jewelry brand Van Cleef & Arpels collaborated with Chloé for a gripping installation, presenting the creative process behind two iconic dresses, which were on display until November 2019.
The Van Cleef & Arpels boutique at The Galleria Mall at Al Maryah Island was home to a beautiful pearl-and-sequin-embroidered ‘Crétoise’ dress from Chloé’s Spring-Summer 1984 collection, inspired by ancient Greek chitons and himations, which were counted among the first fashion garments.
Giving a nod to modern silhouettes, a dress created by Chloé’s Creative Director, Natacha Ramsay-Levi, for its Spring-Summer 2019 collection, was also added to the showcase. Made using crushed georgette viscose with a plastron in cady crêpe and synthetic stone embroidery, the flowy dress is also inspired by Greek fashion.
The exhibition also featured various behind-the-scenes illustrations and revealed the design process behind the actual creation of each piece.
Held under the patronage of His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and Franck Riester, the French Minister of Culture, Flânerie Colbert Abu Dhabi offered a spectacular coming together of two cultures, the Middle Eastern and the French, both rich in their ethos and well-versed in luxury fashion.
With pop-up installations, in-store activations and window displays by various French luxury brands, the celebration riveted the attention of aesthetes across the region. Flânerie Colbert Abu Dhabi is organized by Comité Colbert, an association of 84 French luxury houses and 16 cultural institutions founded in 1854 by French perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain.
Flânerie Colbert Abu Dhabi ran until 14 December 2019. Discover Chloé at the brand’s stores at The Dubai Mall, Fashion Avenue, The Dubai Mall, and online at Chloe.com
Images Courtesy of the brand
