Being Different

February is an exciting time of year! Fashion weeks are upon us – Copenhagen, New York, London, Milan and last but definitely not least Paris, What better time to turn our attention to Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel.

The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand is credited with popularizing a sporty casual chic as the feminine standard of style. She would likely be amazed and honoured to see just how casual luxury brands have been transformed, following her example set post WWI.

She is the only fashion designer on Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people. Her revolution of fashion was intertwined with the coming of age of women, relevant not only at the turn of the century, but also today.

Every women who loves fashion shares a deep love, or at least a high respect for Chanel. I have personally collected expensive Chanel pieces at the expense of all else, food included. The Chanel trademark, a quilted or woven design, always resonated with me. And the extravagant clothing, accessories, jewelry and perfume seemed to call to me from a distant memory, a recognition of something I had forgotten but then clearly remembered. However, I could never put my finger on it. That was until I visited her private apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris.

While opulent and beautiful, it was not what I expected. The space was a montage of some of the most interesting pieces, collected over time, showcased in an apartment overflowing with her style, a reflection of who she was. And the further the tour took me around corner after corner it was soon apparent that she honoured everything that had touched her life, including her humble beginnings. Wheat sheaves were in abundance, which I couldn’t help but smile at, having grown up in Saskatchewan, the bread basket of Canada. Wheat was everywhere, even fashioned into the bronze base of her serving table. I was home at last.

Now today, with our trilogy, as we offer a captivating vision of a world where human frailties like theft and greed are unknown to a species who live in abundance and value shared knowledge and emotional connection above all else, one whose entire civilization has been fashioned from and is dependent upon a plant; it seems of the utmost importance that in order to make that world believable we need to explore everything about them, even what they wear.

The XYZ’s garments are organically intelligent, as thoughtful and protective as the individuals they cover. While at first glance they may seem familiar, even unimpressive, the closer you look, the more you understand what they are capable of, what we are all capable of creating, and just how significant something like fashion can be.