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

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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:

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:

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