Chanel Resort 2011

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Who better to open the resort shows than Karl Lagerfeld? Chanel - by far the most venerated house of haute couture - turned out a cruise collection worthy of its jetsetting clientele. Layered necklaces, slouchy hobos, and wraparound gladiators accompanied floaty floral chiffons, colorful cropped cardis, and lace-trimmed confections. The whimsical presentation invoked the carefree, luxurious lifestyle of Ibiza and San-Tropez, incorporating classic Chanel (abbreviated tweed shifts) with youthful insouciance (string bikinis and metallic hot shorts).



Similar to previous seasons, Lagerfeld incorporated traditional staples and bolder, more adventurous pieces without compromising the overarching unity of his show. The first looks set the stage for a conventional cruise collection: patterned maxidresses, oversized jewelry, and preppy stripes. However, themes shifted almost as quickly as the models strutted down the concrete catwalk. A procession of polished blacks, whites, and pinks - all hallmarks of the Chanel runway - gave way to colorful jumpsuits and tiny triangle tops over high-waisted trousers. Billowy white blouses belted over crisp cotton trousers followed swirling art deco patterns in mustard and tomato red. However, certain endeavors were missteps: a foray into Western frontiers (complete with embellished beige suede, fringe-laden extras, and honey-colored leather boots) seemed too Dolce & Gabbana, and bleached blue denim ensembles would have seemed more plausible circa 2000. Overlooking several less-then-fortunate creations, Lagerfeld's latest was a mishmash of elements from previous collections - resort 2010 and spring 2007 RTW factored prominently - but his most recent collection managed to retain its originality.

Plus size model Crystal Renn walks the runway, which is interesting given that Karl Lagerfeld once asserted that "no one wants to see round women," and only "fat mummies" object to thin models.

And finally, my favorite look:


Ah! A Chanel bathrobe! Just what I needed.

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