Chanel Resort 2012

Jac

Abbey Lee Kershaw

Jac

Karlie Kloss

Kinga Rajzak

Marethe Hopland

Mirte Maas

Oriol Elcacho

Sara Blomqvist

Sara Blomqvist

Svea Kloosterhof

I wasn't that impressed by Karl's offering in his Resort 2012 collection. I love the runway and the venue but the clothes, the design, just wasn't something I'd write home about. They were classic, they all had a Chanel air about them, but this is certainly not a stand-out, especially compared to his brilliant Resort 2011 collection. Freja Beha Erichsen was missing on Lagerfeld's runway for this show and that was a surprise but I'm betting, considering her prolific photographic output, that she had a prior job booked.

Chanel Spring Couture 2011

Abbey Lee Kershaw

Abbey Lee Kershaw

Abbey Lee Kershaw detail

Anna Selezneva

Asa Engstrom

Caroline Brasch Nielsen

Caroline Brasch Nielsen detail

Freja Beha Erichsen

Freja Beha Erichsen

Hair detail

Jac

Karmen Pedaru

Karmen Pedaru detail

Kasia Strauss

Lisanne De Jong

Juliya Steponaviciute beauty detail

Magdalena Frackowiak beauty detail

Sigrid Agren

Sigrid Agren detail

Silver sequin pant detail

Siri Tollerød

Svea Kloosterhof

Svea Kloosterhof detail

Want to know what the next big thing in fashion will be? Look directly above this sentence and there's your answer. One needn't be Anna Wintour to realise that these buttoned pants are going to be a big commercial success. They are cute, classic and the ballet flats create an overall girlish ballet-look. It is somewhat surprising that Karl Lagerfeld has incorporated so many pants into his collection, but then again, his pre-fall 2011 collection signalled a definite trend towards layering dresses over pants. Another variation of these pants are the sheer and embroidered pants/leggings, absolutely gorgeous.  The only problem is that they definitely will not suit every body type, they will ideally suit the tall and fairly slim or the petite. I was a little disturbed however, at how thin some of the models are, especially as even the stretch jeans are baggy on them. Chanel could go a long way by promoting a healthier body image, because let's all admit, there are not many people in this world with thighs the same width as their calves or ankles. Overall, I loved this collection, as you can probably tell with how many looks I have chosen, it was nearly impossible to exclude pieces. I would highly recommend that you look at the entire collection here at Style.com

Chanel Pre-Fall 2011

Karmen Pedaru

Alina K

Caroline Brasch Nielsen

Frida Gustavsson

Gertrud

Ginta Lapina

Ginta Lapina

Karmen Pedaru

Lauren Brown

Megan McNierney

Natasha Poly

Sasha Pivovarova

Svea Kloosterhof

And just when I thought Chanel could not get any more impressive... they do. This Pre-Fall collection is as inspired as any other Fall collection and I'm astounded by the ingenuity of the theme. There seems to be a mix of medieval and byzantine stylings. One of the most beautiful features is the suede-looking leggings/boots. The colour combinations are traditional and rich-looking, but the modern tailoring makes this collection a brilliantly innovative and signature Chanel collection. The first outfit pictured (modelled by Karmen Pedaru) is a great example of combining the elegance of Chanel whilst making it appear casual - the embellished sandals are a perfect addition. As you can see Karl Lagerfeld is all about the details and he does not disappoint. I have a feeling this will be an extremely popular collection. I hope that it receives enough coverage by the fashion media and bloggers. 

Chanel Spring 2011 RTW

Abbey Lee Kershaw

Anja Rubik

Brad Kroenig

Coco Rocha

Frida Gustavsson

Inès de la Fressange

Karlie Kloss

Karmen Pedaru

Karolina Kurkova

Lindsey Wixson

Megan McNierney

Melissa Tamerijn

Snejana Onopka

Out of 87 looks for this collection, I have chosen 13 which I found to be particularly beautiful, stylish and innovative. Although Chanel has a very distinctive look, there always seems to be a sense that it is being refined and bettered. I must also remark though that there were many looks I disliked. Some of the dresses, I thought, appeared unflattering in cut and strayed a little far from the Chanel brand, namely the rock chic look. I associate Chanel with elegance, a strong and refined mixture of masculinity and femininity (Coco Chanel's signature) and luxury. The looks I have posted above certainly fit in with that idea I have of Chanel. I always look forward to the Chanel show the most, and for a very good reason.