CHANEL Spring 2016 PFW

Flight of fancy … in full flight … Final approach ... touchdown … cockpit queen … Ladies and gentlemen, the Kaptain Karl has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign… At this time, we request that all mobile phones, pagers, radios and remote controlled toys be turned off for the full duration of the flight … Flight attendants, prepare for take-off please …Cabin crew, please take your seats for take-off… enjoy the flight and thank you for flying Karl Air ...  the airline of Kaisers!

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As time passes Karl has done presentations that are so outrageously huge as to conjure that it is all about a what sticks to the wall kind of design philosophy. The most amazing aspect of designing a collection of this enormity is that he and the house offer possibilities, they don’t command a look other than the classics. Lagerfeld’s genius lies in his ability to show you the most extreme and outrageous but there are always the “money shots.” The phrase here meaning that there are ALWAYS the pieces that will ring registers and make them sing SALES! Yes scarily so, the business of fashion is about selling clothes and in this case everything that bears the Chanel name. Those Wertheimers were nothing if not brilliant by owning every facility that produces anything under the Chanel awning.

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This collection is dizzying in its mutantly huge size and its endless offerings. If you take a collection like this at face value, meaning only as shown, then you lose out on the brilliance of a presentation like this. This is all about dissecting and maybe even confusing the customer but make no mistake this is all about that commercial enterprise known as retail selling. Whether the ugly clear booties (hate them) or the bib necklaces or the luggage or any of the accessories ... this is about selling and feeding that every hungry beast known as the Chanel client! They will eat this up no matter the antics and yes, there will even be some who want to look as ridiculous as some of Karl’s proposals for a look.

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Please don’t take my words the wrong way; I do not think this collection is superb, when I actually see some of it as quite clumsy, if not downright unattractive. No, I don’t think the plaids are very flattering not a lot of the silhouettes either but again it is looking beyond what is in front of you! This is a study in dissection. One must always keep in mind that Karl is crazy like a fox... he is fully aware of what he does... none of this is happenstance. This is a calculated presentation to dwarf all others and to flex the muscle that ONLY Chanel has as a brand. Whereas the Hedis or Rafs or Toms or Nickys or that Gucci boy thrive on attention and their supposed intellect Karl just gives them all the finger and continues to do what he does best.. Incite and ignite and SELL!

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