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Representing true haute couture, Maison Lesage jackets appear at Christie’s auction

The Exceptional Sale, the headline event of Classic Week, is dedicated to Marie-Antoinette, who played a crucial role in developing the French fashion industry. It will feature two embroidery masterpieces created by Lesage for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent.

November 14, 2022: Christie’s is set to auction two of the most incredible designers’ work at the Exceptional Sale in Paris this November. The auction features an extremely rare Coromandel coat by CHANEL, directly inspired by Coco Chanel’s beloved lacquer screens, and a Yves Saint Laurent jacket from the 1988 Spring-Summer Collection.

Chanel Coromandel Coat 1996 Maison Lesage

As an erudite art lover and 18th-century enthusiast, it was only natural for Karl Lagerfeld to draw on Gabrielle Chanel’s past in 1996 and suggest to his friend François Lesage that he “go and see the Coromandels”. This advice marked the beginning of a catalogue of embroideries that the designer and the embroiderer cherished and which were constantly reinvented by CHANEL. 

The most dazzling interpretation of this was for the Autumn-Winter 1996 collection: four embroidered coats, two red and two black, each requiring eight hundred hours of work, and worn by Kate Moss on the catwalk. This extremely rare, rich red China inspired coat is a Lesage masterpiece and a vibrant tribute to Mademoiselle Chanel’s tastes by one of the most fabulous fashion designers of the 20th century: Karl Lagerfeld. The piece is expected to fetch an estimated €15,000 – €25,000.

Yves Saint Laurent 1988 Jacket Maison Lesage

The extraordinary Yves Saint Laurent jacket, whose blue background is entirely embroidered with sequins, is the result of Lesage’s exceptional craftsmanship and inventiveness. It is one of the most outstanding designer pieces in the world and is part of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent collections in Paris. This jacket is similar to the famous Tournesols model from the same collection, a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. The collection also included the iconic Sunflower jacket which was also auctioned by Christie’s. 

The particular jacket, which was created as a tribute to artist Georges Braque and features swirls of multi-hued blues, will be offered for sale on November 22nd with an estimated €15,000 – €25,000.

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