• The twin of the suit along with several variations of it, walked the runway for the Spring 1994 Chanel show.
• It was made under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld.
• The show opened with an entire series of these suits done in a rainbow of pastel colours and shown on some of the top supermodels of the day. The twin of the suit appears in the runway reference video and we have added some still shots of it and the video here for you to see. We have also added some reference shots of some of the other suits just to give you a better idea of how this will sit once on the body.
• Vogue featured the collection that year and in 2014 Rihanna wore a version.
• These mini skirted versions of the classic Chanel suit, using unusual elements like this one has, are one of the keystone moments that made Chanel under Karl the global powerhouse that it is today.
• Both pieces are made out of a classic Chanel pink tweed with a nubby finish. The colour is slightly more pastel in person than how it photographed here.
• The jacket is extraordinary. It zips to close up the back so there is no closure at the front to break the eye. The shoulders are shaped with very light padding and the sleeves are long. It is cut with a slight nod to the box shape through the body but curves in for shape around the waist.
• What really makes these suits extraordinary is the way that he finished all of the edges. They are done in pastel blue, yellow, and pink vinyl cording that has the feel of a skinnier version of an old telephone cord but without the twist. These have been hand stitched into place to create the gorgeous pattern that you see. The bows are backed in a pink grograin ribbon to give them shape and structure. Where they are placed directly on the Chanel boucle there is no backing so that the fabric acts as the pink seen in between the cord.
• The cording pattern circles around the collar and runs down the centre to a flat bow with the ends of the vinyl tied and knotted so that you have a dangling fringe under each end of the bow. More cording circles around the cuff and you see another flat bow placed on the outside portion of each cuff.
• The skirt is cut short in a mini. The upper part of the skirt is slightly padded inside and is made out of a pastel pink silk. It s the same silk that he used for the lining of the jacket. Both the lining in the jacket and this top portion of the skirt have tiny little double Cs embroidered into the silk. Under that the skirt flares out slightly to the hem.
• Around the entire bottom edge of the skirt is another banding of that same telephone cord piping. This perfectly ties the top and skirt together.
• It is this use of unusual finishes that really showcase Karl's genius and while at the same time helped to modernize the house and appeal to a younger audience.
• This is an extremely rare Chanel set and I am very pleased to have it in the shop.
• Both pieces are lined in a double C embossed pink silk. The jacket closes at the back with a zipper and a loop & button at the top of the back neck. The skirt closes with a hidden set back zipper & hook an eye at the waist. There is some discoloration underneath the inner arms of the lining of this jacket but it does not go through to the front. It is in stunning condition otherwise.
• Both pieces are tagged a vintage Chanel 40
• Excellent condition with one note above

Jacket
Sleeves: 23" and are 13" around the upper arm
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 22" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 17" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD5341

Reference Photos/Video: (1-4) Spring 1994 Chanel Runway.  /  (5-6) Photographed by Steven Meisel for Vogue, March 1994.  /  (7) Rihanna in Vintage Chanel for Good Morning America, 2014.

All items are thoroughly checked over before shipping. Unless noted everything in our shop has been professionally cleaned. All sales are final. Overseas clients will be emailed to obtain agreement to our final sales policy before the order is shipped as per our return policy.