Chanel hosted a private presentation in Dubai showcasing the Haute Couture AW16 collection to the select few. For the first time, Chanel displays Karl Lagerfeld’s original sketches made six weeks before a show. His annotations detail even the type of seam and feathers he envisions. The illustrations are then designated to one of the four ateliers where the head seamstress will bring his vision to life.

Chanel’s Haute Couture AW16 collection takes a conceptual approach with sleek, clean silhouettes and a focus on double short sleeves, trousers and protruding pockets to emphasize the waist presented in a color palette of marron glace, white, black and soft shades of pink.

The Haute Couture AW16 collection is a contrast of masculine, almost military pockets juxtaposed by feminine embroidery. For the first time the house has embroidered directly on flocked or handmade tweed, a change from the usual tulle based embroidery.

Chanel highlights the silhouette and adds height with ostrich feathers that are encased into the seams. The last look is embellished with 20,000 silk flowers that took 1,500 hours of stitching.