As technology continues to flood the modern world, many high-end designer brands are turning to nature to inspire the latest fashion staple.
Wild goats, chickens, rabbits, monkeys and racoons swamped Gucci’s models during its extreme Cruise 2019 Campaign. The fantastical petting zoo was the brainchild of Alessandro Michele who created the Gucci-style Noah’s Ark.
The campaign emphasised the power of nature with its agricultural landscape where models were pictured on a wooden ark surrounded by an elephant, tiger, ostrich and llama encouraging the idea that people and animals can co-exist in harmony.
Chanel’s tributes to Mother Earth have not been about working with wildlife, instead transforming runways into natural landscapes like an enchanted forest or sandy beach.
Karl Lagerfeld converted Paris Grand Palais’ glass nave into an autumn forest with dead leaves, moss-covered logs and old oak and poplar trees – a decision he was later criticised for by environmentalists.
While some designers take inspiration from nature and project it to the extremes, others take hints from the natural world and weave them through on-trend creations.
Here are three high-end designers using nature to shape their latest collections.
Moncler bubble sneakers
The European fashion house has created a supportive sole in the shape of a bubble for ongoing comfort.
Moncler’s Bubble Sneaker features a lightweight sole with individual islands of ultra-soft rubber specifically arranged to follow the shape of the foot. The rest of the shoe is formed by a knitted sock in hues of white and black with a contrasting white sole or navy blue with a turquoise sole.
The French-founded company designs outerwear collections that marry the demands of nature with city life.
Montblanc timepieces
Dubbed as being trusted outdoor companions, the new Montblanc 1858 collection pays tribute to the Minerva Manufacture’s heritage while simultaneously nodding to the world of mountain exploration with pocket watches and chronographs in the 1920s and 1930s.
A polished satin-finished bronze case frames the engraved Mont Blanc mountain, compass and two crossed ice pick-axes on the case back and khaki-green dials reflect the spirit of mountain exploration.
The rejuvenated collection was showcased at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva, Switzerland, through a display of luscious greenery to bring guests closer to nature.
Chaumet jewels
Since its inception in 1780 Chaumet has reinvented the symbolic garden through its enchanting precious gems of ethereal leaves curled around fruit and wild grass harbouring insects and elegant flowers.
A laurel, ear of wheat, oak and lily adorned with precious jewels portray the fundamental style of the maison in the La Nature de Chaumet collection.
The intricately dainty designs embody majesty, grace, power and delicacy that continues to grow from one century to the next.
“Nature interpreted by Chaumet teems with life as it is an ode to the eternal cycle of plants, foliage and berries, from bud to bloom,” the Chaumet website states.
