Chanel... métiers d'art PRE-FALL 2022

Let it be said I   don’t deal well with change but Virginie might have presented her best collection to date with her Chanel métiers d'art show for pre-fall. No, it does not smart of the glories of Karl but it is a polished and pared down modern take on the brand without focusing solely on the famous cardigan jacket.

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There are jackets galore, some close to the body, some short, some cabans and even some ankle length all in a variety of rigidly to soft tailoring. There were moments of Karl/Ines   flashbacks and yet there were also pieces that spoke to a more contemporary Chanel rather than what we were trained to expect from the master. There was polish there, the shoes, the jewelry, the handbags, the camelia and yes takes on that famous cardigan jacket.

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What didn’t work, in my opinion were the bulky knits, the bare midriffs and of course the denims but then again even Karl used denim but I must say that the coats in the short denim sequence looked pretty incredible. The logo pieces were mostly unnecessary as they were too forced and mostly on the thick side, there was one dress toward the end where the logo appeared under layers of tulle which looked modern and young and well thought out.

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Color palette was refreshing since it veered away from a strictly black and white color theme but of course the most effective were the black and white pieces or combinations thereof save for a few crimson pieces. I’m not big on pegged pants but for some unknown reason it is possible they didn’t disturb me due to the fact that my attention was drawn to everything else in each outfit.

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I suggest you see you it in motion and hope that Viard will continue on this path rather than the divergent path she had chosen in her previous unappealing collections.

Chanel Métiers pre-fall 20/21

This is the Chanel, Coco, Lagerfeld, Villard bouillabaisse that was so very Karl so very Chanel.

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This was au revoir Grand Palais and bonjour Chenonceau which could have been anywhere since all that was put to use was the grand foyer.

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My take is that it is historical, retro,  slick,  sloppy,  thin and  thick and lots of polar opposites… but  to me this is not a collection that can be  assessed or critiqued like normal collections as these are collectors’ pieces and I do mean  pieces whether it be a  skirt or  jacket, a bag, a necklace or even a hat... but the wedged  cap toe I thought was fabulous.

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Did I love the Chenonceau belt, oh yeah, and I think very Karl…?  as for the hair and make up well there is always next time as I think that if the models looked more polished so would have the clothes.

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I seemed to see references to museum paintings yet at times it appeared to be funereal or virginal and at other times ha cha cha cha… cohesive not at all but somehow, I wanted to touch hold and feel so much of what I was seeing. All the crap that filled the press release is just absurd as the métiers show has always been meant to show off the astounding accomplishments of the ateliers so no one with any knowledge of the brand needed to be reminded of that fact.

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Virginie seems to neglect or is not in possession of the fine points of what Karl was so proficient at and that was how to give each and every exit a final tweak to make it perfect. Her collections lack that perfection that final touch as well as the fact that styling (hair and make-up included) is just as important as the clothes.

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If you look at this as a collection well then its more of a clunker than a dazzling display of the prowess of the Chanel ateliers but if you dissect it, then you might find beauty that is incomparable. Sadly, Virginie’s cross to bear is that she will always be compared to Karl and right now it’s still looking like she is the assistant and not the designer.

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Chanel ... Métiers d’Art prefall 2019

And so Karl came to New York City via Cairo, Mesopotamia and all of ancient Egypt and where better to show than The Temple of Dendur! The collection is a gold rush as well as a sort of reminder of the mummification that was a sign of those ancient times… bodies wrapped in linen, that sort of thing. 

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The trick here is to extract the clothes from the overly accessorized exits and find what makes Chanel what it is and what makes Karl’s heart race...especially with a challenge like linking New York City to the ancient Egyptians.

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Unquestionably there was an abundance of Karl clunkers BUT Karl spoke Egyptian as well as New YAWK. Overly gilded, silly gold headwear, gold shoes for all, models laden in jewels and far too many underpinnings but the news was beyond that in how Karl translated the history into modern times.

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The kilt-like skirts… tulip or lotus hemlines if you will, the hieroglyphic logo prints, the incredible encrusted bibs make to resemble Fair Isle sweaters and of course the constant layering and reminder that mummies did dance at the Metropolitan at one time hence some skyline.

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Suits and knits took center stage as did gold but certainly the ateliers that Chanel has acquired got to show off that they do best... perhaps a bit too much so but nevertheless when it comes to Chanel and Karl he goes balls to the wall and puts on a memorable show especially in comparison to his so called peers. Silhouettes from his boxy jackets to second skin dresses to reefer coats to fitted suits, he covered the bases and for the Chanel hoarders who can afford this kind of luxury this collection is a bonanza.

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Between Karl, Coco and the Wertheimers, Chanel is this well-oiled money machine with no rivals not just because of design but because “the shit sells!” and like it or not this is a business of selling clothes whether you are H&M or Chanel.

Chanel Metiers d’Art .... Hamburg 2018

Grüße aus Hamburg

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 Let the fawning begin and bring out the smelling salts and the depends. The accolades are streaming in and yet I can’t seem to see the supposed fabulousness of this presentation. Yes the purpose is to display the work produced by the Chanel-owned luxury artisan-specialist companies, Maison Michel (millinery), Barrie (Scottish cashmere), Goossens (jewelry), and Lesage (embroidery). Yes, mission accomplished, but the clothes certainly left a lot to be desired. This was commercial Karl just a more expensive version …. Well at least for the most part.

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The real star here was the tailoring which seemed uncharacteristically sharp/cleaner and offering a more defined silhouette to the suits, jackets and coats. Yes, this was Karl coming home to Hamburg and much has been made of the fact that Hamburg is a coastal /seafaring city hence the nautical influences. Even the fisherman (aran) sweaters took on a Chanel touch when paired with leggings, opaques and captain’s hats. I know, I know the cropped full legged sailor pant is an iffy situation at best but oh the jackets and the coats.

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The overall effect was sort of this Night Porter meets Coco meets Greenwich Village beatnik cool meets motorcycle mama meets "hey sailor.". The shoes were divine; the accessories bountiful, the bags ranged from the Chanel standard fare to the rather amusing accordion (concertina) but let’s go back to the hats which were part of every total look. As is always the case with any Chanel collection , there were the de rigeur Karl Klunkers and this collection was possibly more rife with them than usual. The dresses seemed oddly out of synch with the tone of the collection despite their over the top embellishments. They ranged from downright “you must be kidding me” to “well, if I must.” Don’t get me wrong there were a few looks that might even register as amazing.

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One of the things that struck me was there was an almost exact duplication of a suit from the 60s which was photographed on Romy Schneider and being fitted by Coco herself. Seemed odd since Karl has always massaged and manipulated the DNA but rarely if ever practically copied line for line let alone in  the same coloration. All in all, to me, this was really not much to write home about but then again it is still better than most of the flock’s best efforts. 

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CHANEL pre-fall 2017.. Métiers d’Art

The connection between Coco and the Ritz is inescapable. It seemed somewhat  fitting that the Kaiser decided to show the clothes as if in a throwback to a time when ladies went to luncheons and the main attraction was  a walk through fashion show. Albeit nothing as glam as what was served up 3 times here but the concept remains the same.

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

Métiers d’Art collection is the chest pounding show for the brand which boasts its prowess when it comes to embellishments and fabrics and in this case its variety and heaps of accessories. This is not a collection that is seen as themed or focuses on a trend; it is about clothes, the most glorious of clothes, one might even say it is like a reality show ... Chanel Gone Wild!  Or maybe it is just CHANEL on steroids.

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

These eyes saw references to the glories of France with very Louis like breeches and the fabulously court like gillies but not to be out done by the Lucite cap toes. There was this hint of Versailles decadence throughout. Again, the accessories were literally piled on with great affect. Honestly the veils and the flowers were unnecessary superfluous add ons to what was an extraordinary display of the art and craft of fashion. I mean really … the knitted puffer, the encrusted bead work, the fringes, the feathers, the no nonsense color palette... Karl is way ahead of the flock and sadly one must think of the eventuality of it all given his age.

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

click image to enlarge .. DO IT!

At any rate, this is a collection with no age, no trend just and heavy on appeal.  It sings out to  the CHANEL lady who can afford to indulge herself in the most exquisite of fashion extravagance short of all out haute couture  and more importantly with clothes that possess great style, perfection of conception and timelessly fashionable.