One can scoff at couture as frivolous and unattainable, or they can merely 
appreciate it as art, an expression of sophisticated handywork. I prefer the latter and Chanel’s Metiers d’Art collection is the perfect justification for the preference. Atelier is French for “workshop.” Seven Parisian ateliers—houses of refined embroidery, hats, shoes, button, feathers, metal ornaments, flowers, and jewelry—were purchased by Chanel, as a preservation of the arts. Each atelier’s work is incorporated into the annual Metiers d’Art collection. You may have seen a peak of their recent show this past December. Lonny featured its byzantine aesthetic in the March/April 2011 issue. It was breathtaking. You can watch the whole show on Chanel’s site. I admire the appreciation of creativity—the desire to make things beautiful (‘cause financially, couture is a loss-leader).
Having just spent a day in Ravenna admiring the incredible 5th and 6th century mosaics, I found this a fantastic, modern interpretation and use of the same material.
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