Chanel Haute Couture shows sneakers and fannypacks for Spring 2014

Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2014
Photgraphy by Peter Stigter
Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2014
Photography by Olivier Saillant

See the Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2014 images »

Oh, Karl. We loved you before. But now that you have given the signal that it’s okay to wear sneakers with gowns, our hearts swell.

At this morning’s Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2014 show at the Grand Palais in Paris, every outfit—from sparkling romper to feathered gown—came with kicks. But not just any kicks.

In lace or tweed-covered python, these 3,000 Euro trainers took up to 30 hours a pair to craft at couture footwear atelier Massaro, one of several Metiers d’Arts houses Chanel owns.  Some came with matching knee and elbow pads and belly bags (an option for the environmentally aware starlet who might want to rollerblade to the Oscar red carpet?)

Shine was the other main story of the collection, unveiled in a faux Club Cambon setting with live orchestra and silver leather banquet seating. Everything glistened from the exaggerated hourglass suits with cropped jackets hovering over corseted waists to sport-y tunics and leggings in sequin-dotted organza. Many of the feathered frocks seemed as if they been dipped in metal, and many gowns had trains that the models hiked to sprint up and down the grand staircase. It’s been decades since they’ve moved with such ease and they truly seemed to enjoy it.

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