The One And Only!

     Can we first focus on the unusual eco-friendly "runway" set up that we saw in the hall of the Grand Palais.  It appeared to have been made from solar panels that lay side by side with the occasional wind turbine that sprouted up in forest like form.  Karl Lagerfeld wanted to use these turbines because he said they were "beautiful modern architecture".  I think Karl was looking to connect the idea of future technology with fashion.  He used fun and playful accessories like large Lucite handled bags and wide brimmed molded plastic hats.  In my opinion, these are all extreme but somehow, maybe just because it's Chanel, it worked.  There were 80 looks that paraded down the runway from denim, the original Chanel tweed, long sophisticated evening gowns, linen, to beachy numbers.  There was so much going on in this collection that I decided to break it down into three sections, the ones that stood out the most to me.
 

     First, pearls, pearls, pearls and more pearls.  I noticed that the signature braids and chains were not a focus at this fashion show, but pearls were.  Leave it to Karl to change things up, throw a curve ball, mix and match...you get it.  Out of the ordinary, they were used to adorn dresses, cuffs, jackets and more.  But, holy shit, they were also used as necklaces.  Huge chokers with pearls the size of golfballs heavily adorned the necks of these tiny models and it was to die for.  This little pearl collection, within the large one, consisted of the wonderful, black and white.  These styles were stiff and gave the models bodies a break, allowing them to breath a little, unusual I know.  This look is unique, just like finding a pearl in a clam.

     Onto the cropped tweed half jackets.  Ok, unless you are a tiny little fairy with no mid section, these were a bit funny, if that's not a sin for me to say.  I know the cropped look has been in for a while but I feel like it's out dated now but, Karl has proved me wrong.  If you look carefully you can see that all the collars were slightly different.  We saw an oversized lapel, puritan collar, mock turtle necks and more.  There was an unusually wide variety of colors used in these baby jackets, but I liked it.  Ok, so they are starting to grown on me a little.

     Lastly, the feather burst of colorful fabric hanging off of well, everywhere.  I know it's atypical but I actually love it.  It's so curiously different that it's just fabulous.  The shag that hung off the delicate black sheer fabric give you something to ruffle over.  The extreme pants and tunic with furry cuffs shouts, "lions mane, gone colorfully wrong", but who cares?  I'd roar while wearing it and look chic doing so.  There really isn't much to say about this, just look, quietly and observe it.

       Chanel makes a statement all the time.  It's over the top and that's why everyone loves it.  But alongside the innovations, there was a set of skilled hands that touched each and every garment on this runway.  Lagerfeld did a wonderful job reinventing the ever so simple windmill with three-dimensional embroidery and collections of fabric.  Fashion changes with the times and this world is only getting more technological and modern as it goes on.  Good future thinking, Karl.

Ciao, 

Annie