Where Does it Get this Cold?

Karl Lagerfeld, for Chanel, took us to a place I had no idea existed. I can’t imagine where it gets so cold that you would wear fur pants. I kid you not; there is a whole collection of fur pants. Okay the fur was faux fur; but when you are paying these prices, even faux fur looks real.

Then there are the fur ugg-type boots with clear Lucite heals that I assume are for warmth because they can’t possibly for anything else. So again, the question - - where does it get this cold? My thought is that uggs belong at ski resorts and should not be seen on city streets. That’s just me. However Mr. Lagerfeld clearly does not share that sentiment.

Being originally from the Pacific Northwest the collection really did remind me of Inuit clothing. The native Alaskan tribe would look at this collection and I am not sure if they would be honored or offended. No it was not traditional but there was something very aboriginal about the collection. I would imagine that there was also Lapp influence. So, native people of the north, rejoice. Mr. Lagerfeld has a collection that appears to be in your honor.

So, set this stage; ice caves and ice floes, arctic scenery and snow. No models of color, except Shu Pei Qin and Liu Wen. That made the whole scene believable as of course there are no people with dark skin living in cold climates. Yeah, right!

As everyone knows we sat out Paris this year and opted for a more leisurely romp through the shows on line. Once I viewed the Chanel show I was glad I was not there. Paris can be frigid in March and this March, it was just that. I would have run to the nearest café and ordered a wonderful Parisian hot chocolate. Then I would have run back to the apartment to sit by the fireplace with a pot of tea. If nothing else the scene was believable and you realized that the mood was Nordic.

Don’t get me wrong. Some of the classic Chanel touches were there. The texture and ruffles that the label is known for were evident. The use of black and white was prominent. And, while the concept was originally birthed by his now departed colleague Yves Saint Laurent, Mr. Lagerfeld did include a new take on the tuxedo jacket paired with a white high-waist pant with a black waistband and a bowtie.

As with the other designers, there was a lot of knitwear. I can say that the Chanel knits were luxurious and done in a way to look like boucle. There was even a knit wedding dress. However, it was a bit busy for my taste. It is full of ruffles and pompoms and what looks like knitted tulle.

For the most part this was a very high fashion collection. It was almost to the point where I would have rather seen it rolled out in January at the couture shows. There are very few ‘commercial’ pieces in this collection.

One of the most commercial pieces is a smart cocktail dress in charcoal grey with a black banded hem. It has a very flattering square neckline, short sleeves and a modified baby doll silhouette. It would be a great choice for a woman who was going to an event that required cocktail attire and she was looking for something comfortable because she was pregnant.

There is also another great cocktail dress, again in black, with an empire waist and a modified trapeze skirt. It has a keyhole neckline with matching jeweled appliqués on the cuff of each long sleeve and as the top closure for the keyhole. So if you need a great dress at the age of 45 or above, again you have it in this garment.

Chanel never disappoints. You will always get a great show. You will always see the theme of the collection in the set. You will always know that Karl Lagerfeld was there and that his vision is driven by something few will ever understand.

a la prochaine

Debra