0 Runway Report--Paris Fashion Week--Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Fall/Winter 2012/2013--Photos + Full Runway Video

Cold, Crystal, Pant-suited Chanel Fortress...

Paris Ready to Wear (Pret-a-Porter) Fashion Week ended last week and the Chanel fashion show was one of the highlights--as usual. Designer Karl Lagerfeld created a cold, winter crystallized "fortress" of sorts for all the show's guests. In terms of the Chanel Fall/Winter 2012 silhouette, it was the three-piece suit--as in jacket, skirt...and pants! Every single exit showed an ensemble with pants in one form or another--nothing new for Chanel or Emperor Karl. It was a very chic look. Colors were black, violet/royal blue, grey, burgundy, green and variations on each.

Lesage Eyebrows, Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Of standout: the Lesage (the Chanel-owned Haute Couture beading and embroidery firm) covered eyebrows on each and every model. Below are photos from the runway show followed by the complete runway video:

Tweed Chic: Supermodel Stella Tennant, Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Baby Chanel: A Mommy-son look from Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

UBER Fab: Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Feathered Evening: Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Royal (Blue) Three-Piece: Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Layered Boho: Chanel Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Click Below for Chanel Fall/Winter Pret-a-Porter (Ready-to-Wear) 2012/2013 Full Runway Video:

0 Runway Report: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012--Photos + Runway Video

Welcome to Chanel Airways, Would Like Some Warm Nuts?

Coffee, Tea or...Couture: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Today, the House of Chanel and its GOD--I mean--designer Karl Lagerfeld, showed the latest Chanel Haute Couture Collection, for Spring 2012. Chanel's shows have always been a spectacle--who can forget that Underwater World Lagerfeld created for Chanel's Spring/Summer 2012 Ready To Wear show with Florence Welch singing last October...

Or the Gigantic Bronzed Lion in the middle of the Grand Palais for the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010 show (above photo). Well, this time, the set was an airplane cabin. A Super First Class airplane cabin, mind you. The seats were all diagonally situated (for better view down the aisle) and each guest's invitation, according to Cathy Horyn of the New York Times, had placements like "2A" and 6B" on them.

Sleeper Seat: A "Hint" of the Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012 Collection

Lagerfeld flies a lot so maybe this was an "Homage" airline travel--but I think it had more to do with Blue, the sky and all shades of the color. There were about 60 exits, almost all in blue--different shades of blue. It was as if Lagerfeld had Wikipedia'ed "Shades of Blue" and then demanded garments in all those shades!

Couture Client--Lady in Fur: The woman on the right--in the mink--is my new IDOL!!!! Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

The collection was beautiful, very client-oriented (not so many --Colors: Blue, all shades of it. Plus some white and almost-black (I think people call it "midnight blue"). Silhouettes/shapes: the Drop Waist is a Chanel staple and it was evident in this Spring 2012 Haute Couture Collection. Almost ever look had horizontal pockets.

Pocket Princesses: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

$40,000+ Chanel Haute Couture suits in wool-silk boucle had the ease of $100 denim jeans, as each model sauntered down the airplane cabin aisle with their hands half-perched inside the pockets.

Portrait Perfect: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Details included portrait-style collars; billowing bell/blouson sleeves--raglan and set-in-armholes; fitted sheath and shift dresses; varying lengths--above-the-knee or ankle-length. The bead-work was exquisite, as always--all hand-done and all Lesage, I am sure. Take a look at some of these marvelous ready-for-a-First Class Suite Flight--clothes:

Blouson Lunch: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Sky-High Hair: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Sequined Skies: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Jet Blue: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Choix de Mariage: Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012

Click Below for Full Runway Video of Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2012:

0 Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011--Chanel

Bouclé Lamp Shade Couture...

Freja Gives Tweed: Model Freja Bbeha Erichsen in Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

For Fall/Winter Haute Couture, Karl Lagerfeld, Creative Emperor of the House of Chanel went Dark, moody, and very traditional to the old-school 1920's/1930's aesthetic for Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The collection began with lots of those traditional and iconic tweed/bouclé suits which will make his devoted clientele from St. Tropez to Shanghai very happy. Most of these suits featured elbow-length oversized sleeves (as opposed to those super-tight, can-barely-move-my-arm Chanel sleeves). The peplum was a HUGE silhouette detail for this collection, showing up in the suits as well as the gowns toward the end. If it's up to Karl Lagerfeld, the Chanel Couture Woman will be in a "Lamp Shade" mode when it comes to this year's Fall/Winter season.

Lunch Ensemble: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Colors ranged from light gray...to silver gray...to dark gray--as well as black and midnight blue. There were "shots" of fuchsia for the client in need of more color than just four shades of GRAY. And of course, all the expert Lesage (it's owned by Chanel after all!) hand-beading and sequins that Chanel Haute Couture is famous for was there in almost each and every look. Beautifully done and one assumes, terribly costly. But who cares, it is Couture! Doesn't every billionaire's wife need a hand-made tweed suit with hand-beaded Lesage embroidered sequins to wear to her next lunch date at the Hotel Plaza Athenee?? Take a look:

Red Carpet Gray: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Fuchsia Office: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Gown de Peplum: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Going to Hollywood: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Le Sari Mariage: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011 Haute Couture

Click Below for Full Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011/12 Runway Show--Part 1:

Chanel Fall/Winter 2011/12 Haute Couture--Part 2:

0 The French Riviera Fashion Report: Chanel Resort 2012!!

French Riviera Gets CHANEL'ed...

Queen Elizabeth Yellow: Canary yellow suit, Chanel Resort 2012

Kaiser Karl--Karl Lagerfeld--just went down to the French Riviera--in lieu of the Cannes Film Festival--to show his latest Chanel Resort 2012 Collection. Why? Because Lagerfeld--and the House of Chanel can do that! Hello?? The venue—the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc, in Antibes on the French Riviera. It is, as the designer himself pointed out, possibly the most expensive hotel in the world, and he booked out the whole joint a year ago for however many days it took to get this show on the runway. Not only did they book out the hotel location, then they flew in all these top models, press, the seamstresses, staff, well, you name it, they were there. In addition, the Chanel PR Department went on overdrive to have their A-List stars there as well.

Lilac Lunch: A look from Chanel Resort 2012

"Too much may not be enough", Lagerfeld mused at show's end. He has accessorized the collection with REAL diamonds, jewels and pearls. To HECK with the (supposed) Recession!! (at least for Chanel and Karl). Ladies who can afford a $3,500 jacket, well, aren't really bothered by a supposed "European Recession".

Put The Bloody Mary on My Hotel Tab: Chanel Resort 2012

He says the collection was inspired by Rita Hayworth and her third husband Prince Aly Khan. I get it: Expensive, Regal and oh-so-chic. Mixing both Hollywood 50's-like silhouettes with a touch of that "We're on a perpetual vacation" look. Oh, it must be nice. Here are some of the looks:

Kangaroo Pocket Tweed: A Dress for a Day-Trip--Chanel Resort 2012

Color Blocked Princess: Chanel Resort 2012

Cocktail Hour: Chanel Resort 2012

Dinner and a Yacht: Chanel Resort 2012

Private Cannes Film Festival Viewing: Chanel Resort 2012

Midriff Diva: Chanel Resort 2012

The 90's Are Back: The Bride (1990's Supermodel Kristen McMenamy)...and her Boysssssss (including Male Supermodel Mark Vanderloo)--Chanel Resort Finale 2012

0 Paris Pret-a-Porter Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2011: Louis Vuitton, Chanel--Pics + Full Runway Videos!

More Paris Fall/Winter 2011 Collections Photo & Runway Video Highlights: Hotel Vuitton, SUPERMODELS are BACK...and so is SPENDING Millions on a show + Lagerfeld's "Dark & Foggy" Fashion World...

Naomi Brings Your Luggage Up: Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011:

May I Take Your Whip? Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

Paris Pret-a-Porter Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Week continued this past week and here I highlight two "Biggies": Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Marc Jacobs, Creative Director/Designer for Louis Vuitton was in a "Logo Naughty" kind of mood. As guests arrived for the show, they were greeted by uniformed French maids. Soon people dubbed this the "Louis Vuitton Hotel" collection. For this collection, Jacobs was thinking of a hotel where "things happen", fetishism, the sketchy guests, Couture Chambermaids who see EVERYTHING but say NOTHING: "We were thinking about obsession, fetishism and we thought about an old hotel, with its chambermaids and the affairs that go on there, the crimes and scandals. And we just wanted to reveal all the amazing creatures who passed through there," he said.

Welcome to Hotel Vuitton: Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

The collection was INCREDIBLE--from the looks of the video and photos. Great clothes featuring COLOR (yeayy!!!) and luxe fabrications and well-tailored fits. Of course, the accessories were TO D.I.E. (scroll below!). Vuitton, Inc. spared no expense on this show: There were old-style elevators which individually brought up all the models, and speaking of models:

Checking In: Supermodel Amber Valletta, Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

The Supermodel Brigade was out in fine form. Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta, Carmen Kass, Carolyn Murphy, Stella Tennant, Kate Moss, to name a few. If your keeping a tab, that's about $60,000 (at least!) already spent--and we're not adding the elevators! Whatever happened to those "recessionista" Gallery-style more intimate shows? Not when you're an almost-$20 BILLION dollar brand like Vuitton darling!

You Better Leave a Tip: Supermodel Mariacarla Boscono, Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

6AM Walk of Shame Ensemble: Supermodel Kate Moss, Louis Vuitton

Luxe Handcuffs: Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

Le Must Shoe: Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

I Want That Hat! Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011

Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2011 Full Runway Show:

Chanel Fall/Winter 2011:

Freja Man-Drag: Opening Look from Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Now, speaking of multi-billion dollar brands, wait until you see the latest Chanel runway show and that opening (full video at the end of posting here) . For the latest Fall/Winter 2011 Chanel Collection, Designer Karl Lagerfeld is said to have been in a dark and somber mood and the runway stage--if you could call it that, reflected it: It was a foggy forest on a bed of still-smoldering scorched earth with rocks and faux coal. It was Fashion post Volcanic Eruption! Who knew clothes could look this chic after a natural Karl Lagerfeld-infused disaster.

Nordic Tweed: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Lots of grays, blacks, torn and tattered boucles, with a pop of burnt red here and there. There was again this division of Male-female, common in many a collection this season. It seems for the Chanel girl, Daywear means to bring out your "Inner Fashion Testosterone" and yet for Evening, it's time to be a girl again! Oh and if you are a Chanel Man, well...scroll down and take a look...

Volcanic Hunting Season: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Knit Red Carpet: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Post Eruption Sequins: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

I'm So Mad I Have To Wear This Pretty Dress After A Natural Disaster: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Man Survives Forest Volcano Eruption: Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Fall/Winter 2011 Full Runway Show: