AMID the clatter of a lively workshop, actress and Chanel ambassador Joana Preiss watches artisan milliner Elodie add the final trimmings to a cap for the Chanel Paris-Hamburg collection. The hats are of a fairly simple design, made from felted wool with a PVC peak. ‘‘How long does it take to make a cap?’’ asks Preiss. ‘‘Three and a half hours.’’ replies Elodie.
Joana Preiss meets milliners at Maison Michel
This kind of meticulous, time-consuming craftsmanship is typical of all the artisanal processes that go into creating a Chanel collection, as we learn throughout the sixth chapter of the Chanel 3.55 podcast. The new installment in the series sees Joana Preiss enter the Métiers D’art, the workshops of Chanel’s partners who provide the House with everything from intricate embroidery to shoe-making expertise. Listeners meet creatives from five different Maisons d’art, learning how their crafts contribute to the artistry expressed in every Chanel collection.
Joana Preiss speaks to Christelle Kocher of Maison Lemarié
Preiss is guided through the workshops of the House of Lemarié, learning how feathers, flowers and pleats have been integral to the atelier’s decorative work since 1880. She goes on to discover opulent embroidery at the House of Lesage, where ancestral techniques and perpetual innovation have combined to weave a history of the most beautiful embellishments. In another episode, Preiss meets Jean-Étienne Prach, the creative director behind premium shoemakers Massaro. She is taken into the workrooms of embroidery house Montex, and discovers the secrets of millinery at Maison Michel, where she meets Elodie and watches the creation of the Paris-Hamburg caps.
A shoemaker at Maison Massaro
Throughout the episodes, we discover how generations of talented artisans have honed techniques and drawn on new inspirations to transform traditional crafts. This new installment in the podcast provides an intriguing insight into the expertise and labour that goes into even the smallest details of any Chanel collection.
by Rachel Parker
The Chanel 3.55 Podcast is available to listen here