Comfort. Style. Convenience. Pleasure.

Attitude. Classic. First impression.

All words that fit the Chanel jacket. The jacket of bouclé or tweed fabric that was conceptualized in the 1950s when Coco Chanel made her comeback after World War II.

Now replicas of this jacket are being made around the world. And fashion house Chanel keeps reinterpreting the jacket. The variations are endless! The most special, however, is the way in which the haute couture version of this jacket is made from fabrics such as tweed and bouclé, lined with pure silk. The ultimate form of luxury: with attention to every detail. The perfect fit. The trims that are specially designed to match the fabric and look of the jacket. The manual processing of the lining.

There is a reason why huge sums of money are paid for this jacket. The process of designing and making the jacket is an epic experience.

Meet Anja and Claire

Anja and Claire took the course Classic Chanel Jacket at the studio of Dutch Couture Academy in the corona year. It was before the second lockdown. Who thought it possible at that time that this would be one of the last live courses for a long time?

Anja and Claire are lovers of Chanel to the bone. They radiate style and quality: that is what they stand for. Both are avid amateur seamstresses, with the dream of sewing a Chanel jacket themselves. Because what is more fun than a DIY Chanel? And specifically when made in a beautiful way?

They are both used to working with beautiful materials, but lack the expertise to bring together every detail from creating a moulage pattern to all the many details that make the couture Chanel jacket so special. That is why they decided to take this course. Claire had taken this course before and wanted to get some guidance in creating a new version.

DIY CHANEL: Only in the Studio

The course for making your own Chanel-inspired jacket the haute couture way is only taught live in the studio. Last year people regularly asked me if I would also offer an online course in making a Chanel Jacket as well. The enthusiasm for online courses has increased enormously. And yes, I would like to; but then I would have to make concessions to the quality that the live course offers. Through an online course I can teach sewing techniques. However, it is not possible to try on a jacket at someone’s place or to drape it a perfect fit. To do so, you need to meet each other live. And that is precisely where I see the added value of this course. DIY CHANEL is not only fun, but creates fantastic results as well.

A technique in itself is interesting. Applying the technique to a person is even more interesting! There is so much more involved in creating a unique garment: color and style to name a few. The occasion on which the garment is worn. All these issues are addressed in the course in the studio.

So no: no online version of this course DIY Chanel.

The course at the studio is held approximately once a year. If you would like to be notified for course dates, please send an email to saskia@saskiaterwelle.nl with the subject CHANEL.

This blog post is part 1 of a series of 3 blog posts about making a Chanel-inspired jacket.

More videos about the courses in the studio of Dutch Couture Academy? Follow this link.

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Couture training

The program of workshops, masterclasses and training courses at Saskia ter Welle is aimed at (future) professionals in the fashion industry who are looking for an opportunity to specialize in couture techniques. Enthusiastic amateurs are also very welcome! In the courses, a balance is sought between technique and inspiration, between knowledge and skill and artistic expression. The discovery of one’s own handwriting is seen as crucial to the distinctive craftsmanship of each course participant.