Chanel Haute Couture Fall Winter 2012 Collection

July 5, 2012 by J.T.

Tuesday July 3, 2012 – Grand Palais

At Chanel, silk camellias are pinned to natural bushes dotting the entrance and interior of the newly restored Grand Palais Salon d’honneur. Penciled-in frescos of sky and gray moldings lined the walls and ceilings.

Chanel’s 1932 collection of unique jewelry served as inspiration for this year’s invitation cover; an updated collection that Karl Lagerfeld has dubbed as being “New Vintage”. As is often the case with Karl, the era that inspired it is never taken too literally. If he seems to dabble in contemporary musings (most of which seem to be ‘treated tweed’ – actually it’s embroidery), he does so by piecing together ideas from the 1930s’ and 1970s. Wide trousers are directly borrowed from Chanel in the 1930s, which gives off this look of luxurious nonchalance. Pant legs, stunningly straight and done in black or pearl gray tones, produce an ‘infinite leg’ effect. Top-wear saw silk blouses, torn organza, white tulle embroidered with strands of feathers or a black bustier, adorned with a large pink duchess satin bow, with “colors that are very Marie Laurencin,” says KL.

Subtle colors are the hallmark of this collection, with (large) luxury innuendos simply muted. Ash gray, gray, tea rose, petal ice, powder, glitter rainbow, flirt, storm, graphite, candy … all shades seem to have been created for Chanel as they are scaled to the millimeter in the quarter-tones. The scabbard, made entirely of thick-grain ribbons in gray and pink is purely mind-bending.

The “The Little Black Jacket” book, whose photos will be exhibited in Paris on November 8, features jewelry and the decor of today’s camellias; elements that embody the ‘New Vintage’ designed by Karl, and which recall the fundamentals of Gabrielle Chanel’s charter. Since 2009, Chanel couture buyers are continuously growing and are now much more international. If all holds true, then this watershed moment in Chanel’s history will be but a pale blue diamond in comparison to its great, pearly future.

Visit chanel.com for the full collection