Oh, Karl Lagerfeld. He’s crazypants. He’s also the creative force behind Chanel, although I’m sure you all were aware of that. As a result, all of the creative elements of Chanel’s branding are immensely, luxuriously over the top in ways that few other brands can touch (although Louis Vuitton also does an admirable job with Marc Jacobs at the helm), with advertising campaigns and catalogues often photographed by Lagerfeld himself. He is indeed the man behind the camera for Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2009 Accessories Catalogue, but to get a first look at the catalogue and find out more about Krazy Karl’s concept for the shoot, you’ll have to make the jump.
Yes, that is Jerry Hall. And she’s looking absolutely amazing at 52 years old, playing opposite the much-younger Baptiste Giabiconi in Lagerfeld’s interpretation of the 1920 French novel Cheri, written by Colette. In the novel, a years-long May-December romance is interrupted by the marriage of the younger man, after which he returns to his older lover for one night to receive her blessing and support to leave forever. Lagerfeld’s photographs appear to take place during that one last night, and they’re nothing short of gorgeous. Well, except for one; one photo is in full color and seems to convey a much different mood than the others. I can’t help but wonder if it was accidentally included in the electronic package that we received or if it actually appears in the non-electronic catalog. If it does, I think it would have been better left out, but who am I to question Karl Lagerfeld? No one, that’s who, and I’m sure he’d tell you that if you asked him. Actually, he’d probably just tell you that I’m demode.
Anyway, I digress. The handbags…sigh. Kind of a mixed, uh, bag (no pun intended). The hilights are easy to spot – a tulle-covered flap bag quilted with rows of sequins and another classic flap, this one set on its end and made into a north/south tote that plays with an onlooker’s senses of proportion and perception. They’re beautiful in vastly different ways, but both are a play on the classic Chanel aesthetic and make the observer think about form and function. The lowlights…similarly easy to spot. Handbags fashioned to look like shopping bags were boring a long time ago (Bloomingdale’s vinyl “brown bag” totes, anyone?), and I certainly don’t need to pay as much for one as these probably cost. Also, the whole idea seems kind of 2003 – logo bags have been steadily declining in popularity in favor of more subtle luxuries. “CHANEL” in big, bold letters is the antithesis of subtle. Take a look below and tell me what you think.
In general, I’m an enormous fan of everyday objects turned into art objects. Celebrating the beauty in everyday, functional things is a worthwhile pursuit; the design equivalent to “stopping to smell the roses.” And perhaps if we begin to blur the line between beautiful things and functional things, we would end up with more things that are BOTH beautiful and functional, and then we all win. Taking pleasure in the everyday is nothing to sneeze at, after all.
Chanel’s contribution to this idea is their Spring/Summer 2009 Essential Handbag. Modeled after the iconic shopping bags of their 31, Rue Cambon flagship location in Paris, the bags are produced in smooth calfskin in Chanel’s signature palette of black, white and pale pink. They come in three sizes – small for $1525, which is the only of the three available pale pink, medium for $2625, and large in $2995. From the information that we received from Chanel, it’s unclear whether the small is also available in white and black – if you’re interested, a call to your local boutique may be warranted.
On to the real question – do these bags achieve their design goals? My answer is a qualified yes – they are, after all, remarkably accurate leather reproductions. It’s certainly not an easy task to get a piece of leather that large to be that smooth and also have the crisp corners and creasing of a thick-paper shopping bag, and the bag accomplishes that quite well. In fact, from a distance, I probably wouldn’t realize that it wasn’t an actual shopping bag because the leather is very matte. I can’t tell from the pictures, but there are indications at the side gussets that it may also collapse like a shopping bag, which would be kind of a cool trick for storage, even if it would probably leave an unsightly crease in the leather. It also may have some kind of rigid structural surface over which the leather is stretched in order to create the extremely flat front and back panels, but only a hands-on inspection will tell.
Structurally and design-wise, I have no problem with the Chanel Essential bag, but I do have a problem with the timing of its release. In an economic climate where women shopping at Hermes have been said to be asking for plain white shopping bags in order to hide the perceived vulgarity of their luxury purchases, is a handbag that proudly announces, in bold block print, just how much money was spent on it a wise choice? Probably not. Logo bags have been losing popularity for more than a few seasons now, and this is probably the most obvious logo on the face of the planet. Krazypants Lagerfeld would not deign to have interest in how the other half lives, but handbags, second to only perfume and cosmetics, are essential to how a brand introduces itself to a larger audience. The potential market for a handbags is much larger than the audience for a ready-to-wear dress or even one of Chanel’s iconic boucle suits, and choosing a measure of vulgarity at this moment, even if it’s intentional vulgarity (which appears to be at least part of the point with this design), could potentially alienate customers. Spending $3000 on a handbags is impossible for an ever-increasing number of women, and the idea that you should spend that much on something that looks just like an item that is normally free may rub some people the wrong way.
Even at a dramatically different price point, this bag may have been a real hit. I could see my own reaction to it being slightly different if all the models were placed from, say, $1000 to $1500 (the bag is very, very simple, after all). In that price range, it would be a fitting introduction into the brand’s style for new or younger customers and a winking reference to their own branding. As it is, the bag’s release is just kind of baffling.
There are few more joyous occasions in fashion than Paris Couture Week, although this year’s flamboyant celebration of clothing and artistry has been somewhat hampered by the depressed economy and the impending departure of one of the genre’s greatest voices, Christian Lacroix. The fact that he was able to put on a show at all is the big story of the week; suppliers and industry friends helped the designer piece together a last-minute collection and presentation for what could be his last couture show if his brand doesn’t find a backer quickly. It demonstrates an odd sort of collegiality among fashion industry workers that many on the outside looking in might overlook in the midst of so much glitz and fabulousness – it takes an army of people to make this happen for us a few times a year, and they work extremely long hours for really modest pay. That so many of them donated their time, skills and goods to Lacroix to put together what may be his final show is kind of touching, particularly in an industry known for ego and elitism. He’s not the only one to put on a show for fashion editors and couture customers this week, though – we’ve got a rundown of the best looks from the best shows, after the jump.
Christian Lacroix
Since this may be Lacroix’s last appearance, I thought it was only fitting that he went first. His collection was based mostly on fabrics and other materials that he already had in his atelier, which mostly resulted in looks far more restrained and widely understandable than average for the haute couture master. Perhaps the more accessible looks will help Lacroix’s label find investors; one can only hope. The bright spot of hope was the small collection’s final look – an intricate wedding dress worthy of the Virgin Mary rendered in stained glass. It was so thoroughly and classically Lacroix that it almost reasserted that the man intended to soldier on and make beautiful clothing.
Chanel
I suspect that I may have been the only one that felt this way, but I just wasn’t feeling the majority of Chanel’s collection. Sure, the 60+ look presentation was chock full of beautiful clothes; some of them were even breathtaking. And I know it’s a Chanel staple and part of the brand’s history, but I just don’t care to see more than a dozen versions of a wool skirt suit when I tune in to see Haute Couture. I want drama, I want a challenge, I want something I can’t wear to the office. As the presentation went on, things picked up nicely, but front-loading the suits made me feel like I had to wait quite a while before anything dramatic came along. And when it did, it was standard Chanel couture – lots of white, ivory, black and silver in looks that were thoroughly French and thoroughly intricate. Lace and beading abounded; I only wish that we could have skipped the suits and gone straight from the fabulous.
Valentino
I don’t associate Valentino with haute couture in the same way that I do Lacroix or Gaultier, but I was immensely impressed by their collection. It was full of enough black lace, darkly beautiful silk roses, and jet beading to choke a goth, but despite the somber palette, the mood of the show was surprisingly youthful. Lace mini dresses and black rose-themed cocktail attire are on my fantasy list of night-out options, and Valentino’s stable of master couturiers realizes those options masterfully, in a way that is both young and extravagant. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s really pretty.
Christian Dior
Another couturier choosing to not reinvent the wheel for this season was John Galliano at Christian Dior. Which is not to say that it wasn’t totally sublime – oh, it definitely was. The collection was a throwback to New Look Dior, simultaneously intricate and deconstructed in its use of corsetry and underpinnings as important elements of each ensemble. The colors were vibrant and cheerful, contrasting beautifully with the ivory and black base garments. This collection was a reminder of what couture is all about – extravagance, intricacy of construction, and clothing that can legitimately considered an art form. From the brilliantly enormous hats to the masterfully tailored coats and corsets, no collection reminded me more that couture is a single piece of clothing made for a single customer.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Ahh, I saved the best for last. From Brigitte Bardot to Barbarella, Jean Paul Gaultier gave us a collection loosely based on the screen sirens of yesterday and today. And the clothes were full of film fantasy – alligator overalls, floor-length fur, mini dresses that appear to be made of liquid metal. Gaultier is a master of the outrageous and fantastic, and he makes the clothes that I wish I could wear, if I had an endless budget and the self-confidence necessary to pull off something like a sequin-covered sailor shirt. Anyone that can conceive of such amazing garments not only wins at couture week, but wins at life.
The fall/winter 2009/2010 collection from Chanel is now available in Chanel boutiques. Channeling the winter months, Chanel brings in heavy materials, tweed, and a splash of color with the perfect green and pink.
The leather shoulder strap on the green and pink tweed bags is a departure from the classic chain strap, yet I find myself wanting to see the tweed bag with a chain strap rather than smooth leather strap (like the last photo below). My pick for Fall/Winter is the Chanel Extra Large Tweed Flap with the chain shoulder strap. The tweed is reminiscent of Chanel classic suits as is the quilted finish and chain strap. There is also the classical flap with interlaced ribbons which continues to bring dimension to the bag while offering a horizontal pattern rather than the expected diagonal. To view the collection visit Chanel online.
The good and bad of 2009 celebrity style
In a decade filled with questionable fashion choices, 2009 was the capstone, with nearly every celebrity breaking their traditional style mold at least once.
On to the real question – do these bags achieve their design goals? My answer is a qualified yes – they are, after all, remarkably accurate leather reproductions. It’s certainly not an easy task to get a piece of leather that large to be that smooth and also have the crisp corners and creasing of a thick-paper shopping bag, and the bag accomplishes that quite well. In fact, from a distance, I probably wouldn’t realize that it wasn’t an actual shopping bag because the leather is very matte. I can’t tell from the pictures, but there are indications at the side gussets that it may also collapse like a shopping bag, which would be kind of a cool trick for storage, even if it would probably leave an unsightly crease in the leather. It also may have some kind of rigid structural surface over which the leather is stretched in order to create the extremely flat front and back panels, but only a hands-on inspection will tell.
The potential market for a handbags is much larger than the audience for a ready-to-wear dress or even one of Chanel’s iconic boucle suits, and choosing a measure of vulgarity at this moment, even if it’s intentional vulgarity (which appears to be at least part of the point with this design), could potentially alienate customers. Spending $3000 on a handbags is impossible for an ever-increasing number of women, and the idea that you should spend that much on something that looks just like an item that is normally free may rub some people the wrong way. 
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