Chanel Pre-Fall 2016 Review

     It was tweeted and covered by many a fashion journalist that this collection was all about the mixing of Paris and Rome and the techniques that each city is known for. I think that  there is obvious truth in that idea because Chanel, a Parisian house that's been around for more than a hundred years, held this show in Rome. However, I think that some posts about the show by professionals doesn't match up all the way with the collection and the actual CLOTHES that were being presented. The scenery for the show, however, which you can never NOT talk about with a Chanel show, was of epic proportions. There was an entire set of black and white cinematic places like a boulangerie and the outside of a movie theatre named "Cinema Le Paris". I know now that I am a little late to the party, but with this I really see the shift with big houses like this towards their "in between" collections like the Resort and Pre-Fall collections. Rather than having their Haute Couture collections or even their Ready-to-Wear collections, more of the creativity and the effort seems to be going towards this new, sort of strange, collections that you used to think were only for commercial gain. But this collection was a true extravaganza. A total of more than 80 looks in mostly black and white were shown. Of course there was a little color, like the dark oranges, pinks, and navies throughout the show. A mixture of fine jewelry, couture-like beadwork, fishnet stockings, and quirky and highly covetable bags all mixed together with great dramatic eye makeup created something I could not look away from. I especially love the ringed collars and bracelets that added a little punk to the catwalk. There were also boys on the catwalk, something I absolutely love and have talked about before. Specifically, on my review of the Maison Margiela Spring 2016 show where John Galliano too showed men on a womenswear catwalk. These few looks were very interesting to me because of the mixture of things like the iconic and classic Chanel tweed suits into a menswear suits, skirt and all, and billowing white silk and pearls into dress shirts.  Everything about this collection was fantastic and truly showed the modern theatricality of fashion without being tacky.

Chanel Resort 2015 Review

     Whenever Karl Lagerfeld has an idea for Chanel I find it amazing. His creative genius makes him this decade's Picasso. Except, of course, Lagerfeld's medium is fashion. Now, I could go on and on about how much I adore his ability to find fashion inspiration in anything, but I feel like it would be too superfluous. Anyways, the presentation for Chanel's Resort Collection this year was boundary pushing and fantastic as ever. It held many Middle-Eastern influences from shemagh prints and beautiful jewels that highlight Dubai's expensive tastes. It was costume jewelry, something Coco Chanel was fond of in the 1920s. Karl Lagerfeld always has the ability to revamp classic Chanel to these modern times. Indian culturalism was a beautiful symbol throughout the collection, from the woven prints to the jutti inspired flat shoes. The big hair and light lips gave off of a 1970s vibe, a contrast from the cutting-edge. However, it worked. These two influences blended together in perfect harmony while remaining contemporary. The entire venue for the show was like a massive lounge. With the viewed on plush couches that sank into the soft cream floor. The models walked around this carpeted floor, almost casually! The decor was fun, with structural palm trees and logo embossed lattice above full glass windows. My absolute favorite look was the second to last look, with the Dubai skyline embroidered onto a beautiful black shirt with matching pants.    

Chanel Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Mod haircuts? Edgy accessories? Crazy beautiful clothing? God I love Chanel! These are just some of my favorite looks from this collection. That doesn't mean that they're aren't plenty more from this show. The over 80 looks were beautifully directed by the infamous Karl Lagerfeld. Here is another amazing example of how fashion and art are a part of each other. In this day and age, it may seem that pastel and minimalism seem to be making a comeback. However, the Chanel house seemed to go towards the opposite direction, to my personal happiness. They went for artsy, textured tweeds in great colors. The crazy accessories were piled onto each other beautifully. My personal favorite were the pearls, classy Chanel with a new look. The shoes had the same level of class, with high contrasting socks. Also, the cloth fabric handbags looked like they were painted in an art class, a fabulous art class. I also found it interesting how the bags were carried and crossed over both shoulders of models. Speaking of the models, their makeup was another topic to discuss. Their mouths and cheeks were naturally nude, but their eyes were shocking. The dark eyeliner was paired with a palette of different colors, like a rainbow of hope for next Spring! The massive runway was clean and bright as a clean sheet of sketchbook paper. At the mouth of the stage, there was multiple sculptures designed by multiple young artists commissioned by architect Peter Merino.