Karl Lagerfeld paid tribute to the House’s seamstresses for the Chanel Fall 2016 Haute Couture runway show, putting them at the heart of a runway set designed to resemble the ateliers. The head of each atelier greeted the guests by his side.

The décor for this 2016 Haute Couture show is dedicated to creation: the idea of the dress, from the premise to the reality. An octagonal space now reigns under the arches of the Grand Palais and the guests, seated in the center, look outwards towards the Chanel ateliers, as if they have been transposed from the rue Cambon, with straight pins, patterns, rolls of fabric and a few photos. The models walk along the ateliers and the show joins the backstage. Each seamstress concentrates on her meticulous task, until the models arrive, capturing the attention of all with their self-assured step.

And so, the creations are presented closest to those who gave them form: the seamstresses, offering an unprecedented, profound and overlapping image. Because the primary ingredient of Chanel Haute Couture remains the skilled and precise gestures of these discrete virtuosos – in the spotlight for this once.

The geometric lines designed by Karl Lagerfeld underscore the waist and accentuate the shoulders. The cuts create a clean, structural look for the silhouettes of the collection.

Watch behind the scene fittings of the Chanel Fall 2016 Haute Couture show.