Years ago when I was working for Pan Am – it was in the early 60s – we took a gorgeous young lady on the airplane to Paris. She was gorgeous but the little tweed jacket she wore was even more stunning. It was a beautiful medley of jewelled colours. It glowed. At the time I didn’t realise it was a Chanel jacket but I coveted it and that weekend on the layover before we left for New York I bought a pink tweed Chanel type jacket from a shop off the Champs Elysee. It was a poor relation But I’ve never forgotten that jacket worn by the actress Romy Schneider even 60 years later
Incidentally Romy Schneider was met at the airport by Alain Delon – another actor. But the liaison didn’t last
So….its lockdown. And I’m filled with desire to do something . I know. I’ll make a Chanel Jacket The research began
First of all the Tweed used by Chanel could have come from a firm in Carlisle – Linton Tweeds …. Books bought on couture sewing techniques …. UTube videos watched….A sewing machine bought to replace the one my mom gave me in 1970.
Then the tweed. I looked online at Linton Tweeds Wow ! The tweed was between £30 and nearly £50 a metre No wonder a bespoke Chanel jacket could cost 50,000 euros. And that’s a guess!
Then breakthrough. Linton Tweeds had a sale . I bought some very light pink tweed for £10 a metre. This was the start of my Practice Chanel type jacket.
Watch this space
