So this week Karl Lagerfield debuted his Spring 2012 collection and let's just say femininity has returned to the house of Chanel. This season may have been all about his 'dream' of a post apocalyptic, volcanic, forest of masculine androdgyny (arguably less androdgyny and more masculinity). Having worked at Chanel I can give you the total scoop on this season and what Chanel was saying about it. So it was supposed to be all about browns, blacks and whites. There was the hybrid jackets (blazers over jumpers), 'tree bark jeans', masculine shoes with socks (this subject deserves its own blog.... what is with Karl Lagerfield and HORRIFIC runway shoes. For fall we had mens boots with houndstooth socks, for cruise we had a boot thong sandal hybrid..... something that managed to be actually more repulsive than it sounded... believe it or not and then apparently for spring we have a blue metallic mens office esque flat.... UGH), VERY pointy small heeled shoes (honestly... for those of you who have not tried this on... unless your feet are the size of an asian midgets these will look AWFUL)- we will be returning later to why the heel was so small, high waisted- wide legged wool pants rolled up to expose the ankle with silk lining, a lot of shirts that even Oscar Wilde would have balked at (imagine a 1800s mens shirt with enough ruffles to be used on your dog to prevent stitch licking) and then of course the jumpsuit rather than the dress.
Why you ask did Mr. Lagerfield impose such a fugly dream on the women of the world? Well it was more than just a hallucination. He argued that he was ushering in a style revolution. That the fashion pack had moved beyond both the idea of sexy and femininity. Clothes were not meant to impose or enhance such traits rather they were to essentially function barrier to such traits through which they were expected to shine through. Therefore it wasn't the designed enhancing them but rather through going the entirely opposite way, arguably by creating a clear juxstaposition, the actual attitude of women was intended to shine through creating a suggestibly more sexy or feminine aesthetic.
However as the regional director was explaining this new aesthetic which the Chanel brand representatives were intended to sell to it's customers (honestly, anyone who could sell half the pieces in that collection must have made a pact with a devil.... or be dealing with exclusively tasteless individuals) she mentioned that this aesthetic had not only not followed through into cruise (not totally surprising considering its almost separate and individual nature to the spring/ summer and fall/ winter collections) but that all of Mr. Lagerfield's statements would be in fact subject to a total about face within the spring collection.... after viewing the collection that would seem to be an understatement.
You can check out my favorite looks below:
I have to say that Karl Lagerfield's last couple of collections I have found totally underwhelming SO this has definitely been a pleasant surprise. I desperately hope to see Charlotte Casiraghi rocking some of these looks soon or even better I would like to see them at Blair's wedding. What could be more fitting then Serena van der Woodsen wearing Chanel to Blair's wedding seeing Blake Lively's ambassadorial position to the brand.
AH - MAY - ZANG!
