CHANEL RED TWEED JACKET PARIS - MOSCOW COLLECTION

Private collection, Europe

Vintage Chanel jacket 09 A from the pre-fall 2009 collection, made of red and black tweed (100 % wool) with black and pink velvet braided trim, with imperial buttons, gold link decoration on the inner hem, patch pocket, imperial button closure with the CC logo in black and gold on the sleeves, inner lining made of 100% silk and pockets with gold zipper closure on the front. It is a garment that was unveiled on the catwalk and appeared in Vogue magazine with model Angelika Kocheva. A wonderful piece that is part of the important Chanel collections.

PRISTINE CONDITION

THE COLLECTION

Ruby red lacquered bags like Fabergé eggs swinging from gilded chains, heels sculpted like upturned onion domes, hair-and-pearl-adorned tiaras like those of Byzantine empresses—oh, and strict black Soviet "uniform" suits. Yes, this was Karl Lagerfeld setting off on another of his light but learned excursions into Coco Chanel's exotic history with men: in this case, the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, and the Russian inspirations—the Ballets Russes, Constructivism, Byzantine jewelry, and Slavic folklore—triggered by their relationship.

"Paris-Moscou" was Lagerfeld's theme for the semiannual collection designed to show off the skills of the French embroiderers, milliners, goldsmiths, and shoemakers the house supports. And it was also the subject of his directorial debut. As the audience—which included Princess Caroline of Monaco, Diane Kruger, Emmanuelle Béart, and Clémence Poésy—took its seats in the plush velvet and mahogany Théâtre le Ranelagh, the show opened with a silent black-and-white cine-skit on Coco's flirtation with Russian-Parisian émigré society in the 1910's and 1920's, featuring a cast of Lagerfeld's friends.

Fashion-wise, the then-now parallels were embodied by the Russian models, led out by Sasha Pivovarova. The clothes—extravagantly embellished with sequins and pearls, tufted layers of chiffon, and sparkling feather fringe—were accessorized with a winter fantasia of military fur hats, gold Cossack boots, and pseudo-revolutionary badges.