Chloe SS 2012 Review

Well Hannah MacGibbon sadly got the boot from the director's chair and former Pringle Of Scotland designer Clare Waight Keller jumped right in and had a go at cracking the reins. And she did well.
"Fluidity and femininity, but boyish" is how Keller summed up the collection and that's exactly what she gave us. There were sort of Swiss dot lace shirts, low slung dresses and skirts with thick leather belts that I'm not sure were needed. The embroidered florals were a design lifted from Karl Lagerfeld's tenure which I thought was quite a bold move and I like that she cherry picked bits and pieces like that from a past designer because there's a nice history of great designers who've worked at Chloe.

Like Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo before her, Keller is selling the same dream. The Chloe girl is a care free, tomboyish character who'll always look back fondly at the 70's. If anything, Keller is dipping her toes and treading lightly across the Chloe DNA.

It's a solid collection but for a debut it doesn't scream at you and the Chloe girl never screams but Keller will have to work her way around that otherwise she'll end up in designer purgatory like MacGibbon and Paulo Melim Andersson.

Heather Mooney? Is That You?

Karl Lagerfeld had this to say about retirement…

“I have a contract for life so it all depends on who I would like to hand it to. At the moment I’d say Haider Ackermann.”

Emphasis on atm. I love Lagerfeld but homegirl is old. I watched the Lagerfeld documentary and he’s blind! He was reading something and was holding it up to his face, like right against his face. It was like something right out of Absolutely Fabulous.
Today it might be Ackermann but tomorrow it could be Baptiste Giabiconi.

Jump to 1:40. Hilarity. 

Ackermann’s response?

"What can one possibly say to such a phrase?! Such a compliment! Honored I feel, how can one not be?! In all honesty tremendously, immensely touched especially coming from Monsieur Lagerfeld."

Gayest response ever right?

He later said "I think Mr. Lagerfeld said something that was a really nice compliment. But I think people should take it as he took it: a compliment. No more, no less.”

In other words, he called Lagerfeld immediately to thank him and Lagerfeld was all wer? Quoi?

With so many talented designers out there is Ackermann right for the job? Chanel ticks so many boxes that make the brand so successful and I’m sure they’d like to keep it that way when Lagerfeld sashays off to heaven. They’re one of the top luxury fashion brands in the world with a slew of house signatures that are instantly recognized as Chanel, even if they’re not the real deal.

Oh hey Court, is that Chanel? Didn't think so

Tweed, chains, the camellia flower, 2-tone shoes, quilting, No. 5. The list goes on and most of them are distinctively Chanel. No other house comes even close to such brand awareness. And then they have the star designer. Lagerfeld. Outspoken, flamboyant (that’s journalist-speak for total fag) and has an anecdote for every strand of his grey pomp.
He’s such an integral part of Chanel that the house will undoubtedly change when he is gone. The house will go on but Lagerfeld’s void will be felt and no one will have the impact he’s had. I don’t question Ackermann’s abilities (his Spring 2011 collection of jewel tone mullet dresses was tres swell) but his personality may not suit the brand. But what the fuck do I know. I used to think corduroy cargo pants were a legitimate daywear option.


Here’s my list of who should take over when Lagerfeld retires/dies.

Luella-Not only is Luella unemployed (fashion design-wise anyway. Sadly her label has shuttered so she’s wide open) but she had an amazing Spring 2009 collection that was like a young frisky Chanel girl after doing a line of blow and eating a scone. It was yummy.

Rei Kawakubo- Can you even imagine? I didn’t think so.

Alber Elbaz- He ticks every box. He’s distinctive looking, apparently a screaming diva if things aren’t done his way (yes, that’s a box that needs to be ticked). Oh, and incredibly talented.

Chloe, let go of the talented designer you hipster freak

Should bequeath his job to a bunch of cats like all crazy old people do.

Here’s my list of people that if they got the job, I’d die a little inside.

Marc Jacobs. I would die A LOT inside if Marc Jacobs did Chanel.

Dolce and Gabbana. Greasy Italian tax evaders who haven’t done a great collection in forever. And Gabbana dissed Stella McCartney over Twitter. Mee-owwww

Fabio Viscovo: I LOVE Stella McCartney!
Stefano Gabbana: who ??????
Fabio Viscovo: ahahaha! You don’t like Stella McCartney?!
Stefano Gabbana: Who ????? The daughter of the singer ?????
Fabio Viscovo: Yeeees! Stella McCartney, the designer !!!!!
Fabio Viscovo: Stefanoooooooo, please !!!!! You don’t know Stella’s a stylist ?????
Stefano Gabbana: What’s she known for?? What’s her specialty??
Stefano Gabbana: What sort of style does she do? What’s so special about it??
Fabio Viscovo: She makes a lot of minimalist sequined dresses… … .. they’re really feminine. They’re perfect for a nude look!
Fabio Viscovo: Come on! You’ve just got to have seen them! And although she’s really famous … she’s still an upcoming designer!
Stefano Gabbana: Yeah, she’s upcoming after 15 years doing nothing!! Hahahaha
Stefano Gabbana: Aaaaaaa …… I see you appreciate nonentities!! Bravo!

Henry Holland. Embroidered tweed slogan t-shirts? When hell freezes over Miguel Androver.

Anna Sui. That would actually be hilarious but then quickly become tragic.

So I wanna do this like, prairie patchwork skirt right? You feel me?

Raf Simons. Chanel? Minimal? It didn’t work in the 90’s so why bother. You stay at Jil Sander Mr Simons. You stay.

it looks like a ball sack

                                                    

 I am not amused

Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2010 Review

Lagerfeld’s spring couture collection was a sugar-spun dream. Each model looked like a little piece of cake in soft pastel tweeds and mega-bouffant topped with a frothy bow. It’s Mr Lagerfeld’s refusal to design vulgar outfits and his constant push for newness that always make his collections a delight.

There were pastel suits in requisite wool bouclé but this time he replaced a skirt with a short and used a stitching technique that almost made the seams and darts disappear.

Each of these looks were paired with silver tights and silver leather booties which dealt a hand to sixties space race and complimented the shape of the suits.

The eveningwear was mostly beautiful with some draped pieces which we don't often see at Chanel. Some dresses had shimmery stripes which failed to hit the mark.

CHANEL SPRING 2010

Spring for Chanel initially looked like a barn yard romp but it was more of a barn yard stroll. That whole out-doorsy, get a tan, ride a horse Chanelism was there in what I think was hosiery with a white criss-cross imprint that made the models look like they’d been out in the sun all day and got some tan-lines on their legs.
The sugary pink looks at the start were waaay frou frou but it is a spring collection and a fun one at that. There was a dreadful set of dresses in red, white and blue with tacky flowers dotted over them but nevermind. The appeal of a Chanel show is that you can always find at the very least, one thing that you want. For me it was the fluffy jackets that reminded me of spring chickens. So cute right? As for the clog heels. I dunno about clogs, I mean fuck, did you see the hot clog mess at LV? No? Let me remind you.

FASHION ON FILM

Loic Prigent is the director of two of my favourite fashion docos. Signe Chanel and Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton.
I've watched Signe Chanel twice now and still my jaw drops when one of the seamstresses is told to remove two rows of beading from the waist of an Haute Couture dress.
I watched Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton for the first time yesterday on Youtube. It was interesting to compare the two designers. You had Karl Lagerfeld who almost had an aversion to touching fabric, instead he sat behind a desk and everyone did everything for him. Then you had Marc Jacobs in the workrooms zipping about on a desk chair, pins in mouth, cutting fabric on the dummy.