Recently in Chanel Category

I finally watched Coco Avant Chanel with Audrey Tatou. Wow, she was great - really quite perfect for the part.  I got the Blu-ray version since I managed to hook up my new machine and switch over my Netflix accoun to Blu-ray access.  It's not really a movie you "need" to see in Blu-ray, but it was nice to have the super crisp video for all the beautiful cinematography.  The costumes and set design were outstanding too.  Also, I though Alessandro Nivola did a great job as Boy Capel, I didn't even recognize him... although I knew he was familiar, I couldn't figure it out...

(re: above shirt - J. Crew is offering a shirt in their menswear line that is made by Saint James from Normandy, France - makers of the real French sailor shirt, and perhaps what Chanel used to wear? An XS might work, it's $88 and really made in France!  Check it out here.)

It's hard not to compare it to the Coco Chanel movie on Lifetime with Shirley Maclaine since both covered a lot of the same ground.  I acutally liked both of the movies, although in the tv movie I preferred the part with young Coco played by Barbora Bobulova.  (I'm not a big fan of Maclaine.)

Audrey definitely looked like a professional smoker in the movie, which is quite necessary to play Chanel.  I wonder if she smokes in real life?  Here are some pictures of the real Chanel, if these aren't a good warning for why NOT to smoke, I don't know what is.  It looks like she aged quite poorly. 

Yikes!

I am such a sucker for Chanel's limited editions... look at this beautiful eye palette!  The colors are perfect.

Chanel has released their Holiday Colour 2009 collection. And - - if you order from Chanel's site directly through Dec. 16th, yout get free shipping and complimentary gift packaging.

I love the Les Tissages Lames de Chanel (Shimmering Tweed Highlighter), $60. I am such a sucker for highlighters, they seem lighter than blush and are supposed to give you the much desired look of "radiance".  Who doesn't want that?

But, since I already have two highlighters, I probably don't need another... darn.  I am trying to remember the concept of "need" more since this whole horrible, tedious recession thing happened...

Oh, other good news the Trapeze color nail polish is now available by itself for $23. Previously it was only available as part of the gift set mentioned on Oct. 19th.

Chanel has a new eye kit, Le Regard de Noir (smoky eye essentials), everything you need for the perfect smoky eyes, all packaged in a beautiful case.  It's a great gift, for a friend or yourself!  I don't know about you, but I need serious help with the smoky eye... I hope this comes with instructions!

It includes Les 4 Ombres shadows in smoky eyes, Le Crayon Khol pencil in noir, Exceptionnel de Chanel mascara in noir, Le Pinceau Ombre #2 brush and a mini size of Demaquillant Yeux Intense makeup remover.  $140.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Chanel's nail color, Trapeze... and that I couldn't find it yet.  Well, this weekend I was at Bloomingdale's 59th Street (they've unveiled their new ground floor space with a more deluxe beauty department and a huge new David Yurman boutique) and I found it. 

It seems to only be available as part of a three color gift set, Trio Exclusif de Vernis, $65.

It includes Trapeze (a silvery gray), Allegoria (a pink nude) and Tulipe Noir (a rich plum black), they come in a chic little travel case.

We all know Coco Chanel loved her costume jewelry.  In the 1930s one of Coco's friends, Fulco di Verdura, created the Maltese Cross cuff for her. He had been hired by her as head textile designer and then in 1927 they began their collaboration for Chanel's costume jewelry collection.  In 1934 he created the Maltese Cross cuff, using a cross given to her by Grand Duke Dmitri of Russia. The design is still used today and Chanel's cuff bracelets are still some of the best. 

But yikes, at $1,620 - - that's quite a bit for costume jewelry, even if it's Chanel.

Kenneth Jay Lane has a pretty nice alternative, which you can get for just about 10% of the cost of the Chanel cuff, only $165 at their store at The Plaza.  Or, I also found it for sale online for just a bit more, $184.

In 1939 Verdura opened a shop in New York under his own name, and the Maltese Cross became one of the brand's signature motifs. Incidentally, the Verdura brand is celebrating 70 years in New York this year with a re-creation of the Maltese Cross cuff and a pendant version.  These however are not costume jewelry -- the pendant is $22,500!  (below a Verdura Maltese Cross cuff)

 Just to stay on the topic of Chanel for another day... here's what I'd like to buy from the Chanel beauty counter:

Blush Duo Tweed Effect in Tweed Sienna, $45

Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour in Ardent (limited edition), $30

And, I saw this gorgeous color, Trapeze, in a magazine but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere yet.  I asked at the Chanel counter at Bloomingdale's and no one knew what I was talking about... and the Chanel website doesn't have it either.  The only place I could find other evidence of its existence (and a picture) was an ebay auction that had it selling it for $49.99!  I would just wait, it should cost $23. The ebay auction says it's a Holiday '09 color so it should be out soon and hopefully it will turn up here on the Chanel site.

I'm having a bit of Chanel day myself... I'm wearing my only Chanel jewelry - a double chain necklace with a double C pendant and double C hanging earrings with camelia flowers.  I don't usually wear them together... but what the heck...  I bought them both at the Chanel store on 57th street, and what a great experience that is!  They are SO nice even to plebians like me who could never afford their clothes.  I was impressed by that.  I would never buy Chanel on ebay because there are so many fakes, and the real items are usually totally overpriced (like the above nail color).  I used to be a bit of an ebay addict, but I've largely given it up.  I do not want to support the trade of counterfeit merchandise in any way, and we all know that ebay is a huge facilitator.

Chanel's show was on Tuesday.  They decked out the Grand Palais in a farm theme inspired by Marie Antoinette's Petit Hameau at Versailles.

Photo: Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York Times

There is a good slide show of the looks at the New York Times, here.

Of course there were a lot of tweeds, that's pretty standard Chanel.  What I really did not like are the following:

Clogs (nearly every model in the show wore clogs), many with strange lace-up legs

Exaggerated Bell Shaped Skirts

Pink with lace

Crochet Looks

I guess I'm alone in this, the critics liked it.  The New York Times' Suzy Menkes says "...expressed such a fashion joie de vivre and a dizzying desire to buy".  And Cathy Horyn: "...was completely charming; the clothes were great, too".

Saturday Chanel releases their new collection of casual handbags and travel bags, Coco Cocoon. The marketing campaign is featuring Lily Allen.

I think Lily Allen is a rather curious choice, but I guess Karl is fascinated by her.  Just a couple of years ago she was a chubby mess, hardly a paradigm of beauty; but she does look pretty good these days, especially when decked out in Chanel!

The bags are available in nylon or lambskin.  I see why they say "casual" they are most certainly that.

This bag reminds me of some very inexpensive bag, I'm not really sure, Le Sport Sac or something?  Or a Member's Only jacket sewn into a bag?  I don't know, not so good...

I finally saw the made-for-tv film Coco Chanel last night. It had aired last September on Lifetime.

I don't know a lot about her life, so don't know how accurately they portrayed it... but it was a very good film.  The cast was excellent, I particularly loved Barbora Bobulova as the young Coco and Oliver Sitruk as Boy Capel.  The scenes of Deauville were wonderful, the beach with the cute little striped beach cabanas... going to the beach back then looked so sophisticated.  Throughout the film you see Coco in her signature layered pearls look and black and white ensembles.  It was a great film, I definitely recommend it.  It will be interesting to see how the upcoming Coco avant Chanel with Audrey Tautou compares to this one.

I always enjoy Chanel's seasonal collections.  Fall 2009 "Collection Venise de Chanel" is inspired by Coco Chanel's fascination with the romance and drama of Venice.

Les 4 Ombres eye shadow pallette ($56) is called Murano and includes moss, pink, seafoam and green shimmer shades. Les Tissages de Chanel, tweed effect blush ($45) is offered in a new tweed sienna shade, an earthy bronze.  I love the way the tweed effect looks... so cool!

The Rouge Allure lip color ($30) is offered in six new shades: instinctive (pink nude), comedia (pink rose), intuitive (pink brown), amusing (rich rosewood), captive (red brown) and clandestine (red brick).  Le Vernis nail color ($23) has two new shades: intermezzo (white pearl) and gondola (dark maroon shimmer).

I love these elegant pearl drop earrings from the Chanel Spring-Summer 2009 Pre Collection.   I love earrings with just a little big of dangle and I'm totally a sucker for the Chanel Camellia flower!

Glasstone pearl, metal and resin camellia earrings.

I also love this variation on the classic double C long necklace.  Most often they're done with pearls but here they've used some stones and the Cs are in blue, which is unusual too. Metal, enamel, glasstone pearl and natural stone long necklace

I was also browsing through their Spring-Summer bags.  Their bags can often look kind of Grandma-ish, well you know very classic, but a little boring.  This denim tote is a very modern take on the classic Chanel quilted look.  Quilted Denim Tote with a large stitched Chanel signature double-C motif.

Detail:

Of course, they never publish prices on the Chanel website, so you have to go to a Chanel store to find out... 

Chanel is debuting a new collection of 12 rare fragrances, all in the same sleek understated bottle. You can sign up at Chanl to be notified when they are available, here.

Chanel also did a line of Exclusifs back in 2007, those included 4 relaunched scents and 6 new ones.

The movie "Coco avant Chanel" about young Gabrielle Chanel is opening next week at select theaters in France, we don't know yet when it will open here.  The New York Times had a brief write-up on it on Monday, you can read it here. There's also a trailer on YouTube, here.

It's supposed to be quite spectacular visually.  The Times called it "a pleasant gallop through the well-known story and Ms. Tautou turns in a star performance of moods from truculence to the delirium of love." I am looking forward to it.

Chanel is showing sun-kissed shades for their Summer 2009 Cote d' Azur collection.

Here are my picks:

Soleil Tan de Chanel, 4 Facettes Brozing Powder, $65

Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine, in Salina (Limited Edition color), $28.50

Le Vernis Nail Colour, in Golden Sand (Limited Edition color), $23

Ombre d' Eau Fluid Eyeshadow, Seashore (Limited Edition color), $32

Wow, this is a surprise, Lily Allen isn't known for her fashion sense, that's for sure.  But check out this wonderful little Chanel ensemble!

I am so jealous.  I want that dress, the bag and the jewelry!  I suppose they may have dressed her since she was there for the show at the Grand Palais.  Again, SO JEALOUS.  I would die to be able to go to the Chanel show.

Check out these amazingly beautiful rosewood parabolic Chanel skis!  They're almost too nice looking to ski on.

Of course, Chanel does not put the price on their website.  I am sure it is shocking.

Feeling like a little splurge?  (even in the recession we have to treat ourselves once in a while) Chanel's Paris-Mosou nail polishes ($30) in 3 limited edition shades make a nice little treat.  The colors were inspired by Chanel's Paris-Moscou fashion show.  The burgundy color is already sold out online, so hurry.

The blue is too crazy for me, but I'd try the gold!

Here's some interesting news for Chanel lovers, the Paris Mint is releasing a series of coins to commemorate Coco Chanel's 125th birthday. They asked Karl Lagerfeld to design the coins.

It's sort of a similar idea to our beautiful state quarters coins, except these coins are not meant for circulation, they'll be cast in either gold or silver and will sell for far more than their face value of 5 euros.

They go on sale on Dec. 1st. The silver version for export (no VAT) will be 37.63€.

Bluefly has a great deal right now on a coveted Chanel flap bag in the best color - black, of course.

It's normally $2,050, bluefly has it at 20% off, so $1,640.  These never last, surprsingly so in this bad economy, so hurry!

As mentioned in my last post, I finally went to the Mobile Art exhibit this past weekend. 

I had tickets for Saturday at 11:30 am.  They managed the whole thing beautifully, people with tickets just had to wait in a line for their time slot and were let in at the exact time, on the dot.  Since we arrived just a couple minutes before there was basically no wait at all.  (the unlucky people who didn't have tickets had to wait in a HUGE line) You are ushered into the container and they made you check everything: coats, cameras, handbags, everything!  And then you're given your headset for the audio tour.  The whole visit is paced with the narrator (at times, a bit too slow for my pace). I'm afraid to say that overall, I liked the architecture better than the art is housed.  The first room had a beautiful floral mosaic floor. One installation was a series of cardboard boxes with film projection of naked people running around inside them.  Another was a large shipping container (as in ocean freight container) with this poor giant black gummi bear like guy tied up inside with furniture, and then there is a screen where you see a film reel of a dominatrix woman beating on the bear.  At the end they had a big tree where you were instructed to write down a wish and tie it to a branch. There was also a giant black 2.55 bag laying on it's side with fur lining.  The experience was tranquil, I liked the narrator, I just thought she was a bit too slow at times. At the end when you get your coat and bags back they give you a photography magazine with some beautiful black and white shots done by Karl Lagerfeld and others. It also has a section about the exhibit and architect and the different places the container has been. You were not allowed to take any pictures inside so I only have pictures of the outside.  

So my birthday was over the weekend, I am getting frightfully old, but thankfully still look young enough to get carded (sometimes at least). I had a wonderful day walking around the Upper East Side and into Midtown and finally made it to the Mobile Art Exhibit in the park (see next post). Anyway, along my walk I got these wonderful Chanel earrings, they're from the Chanel store on 57th Street (betw. 5th and Madison).

These are Chanel costume jewelry, so they are genuine "metal" and cost $350.  Funny, ha?  These particular ones are made in Italy, others they had in stock were made in France.  They come with a little fabric pouch for storage and a beautiful Chanel box, they tied it with Chanel ribbon and put a big white camelia flower made of fabric on top.  The flower was just part of the wrapping, but I think I'm going to make it into a pin.  I don't have a link for these because they don't seem to be for sale online anywhere.

Last night I watched "Lagerfeld Confidential" a documentary about Karl Lagerfeld by Rodolphe Marconi.

I got it on dvd from netflix. It was really interesting to see behind the scenes because he seems so mysterious with the dark glasses and black clothes. It's more about him, the man, than it is about Chanel. You get to see inside his Paris apartment and how he has bowls of the silver rings he wears.  I didn't even realize he wore so many rings because he usually also has gloves on.  But it's crazy he wears so much metal on his hands that they clank. (like 2 or 3 rings on some fingers)  And you can see they rows of black clothes in his closet and the TONS of books he has.  Just getting to see his flat was really neat.  Also, I didn't realize he was a photographer.  He does a lot of the Chanel photography.  As to my impressions of the man himself, I was surprised that he wasn't more arrogant.  He does have some odd thoughts though, like about working hard - you're supposed to, but it's like he thinks its tedious if you show it. (It's easy for someone who doesn't need to work at all to say that.) He's non-religious and a (mostly) very rational thinker.  He admits to being lucky in life. He reads a lot and values time alone. He said he can't stand people who cannot be alone (I agree). I found him to come off as quite likeable but not without his quirks.  Some of the documentary is boring, but overall I recommend it. Oh, and bonus - you get to see him without his sunglasses on!

Here he is at the Mobile Art opening the other day with Kate Bosworth in one of his typical outfits.

This black and white J. Crew Collection dress has a very classic Chanel-esque look. Chanel always shows a lot of black and white and especially did in their latest show, Spring-Summer 2009.  Someone probably could have snuck this dress into the show and no one would have noticed!

J. Crew Collection "Shimmy Dress", $250, ivory silk organza with tiny cotton voile ruffles black charmeuse sash.

Wouldn't it look great with some Chanel costume jewelry like this: But I guess that would cancel out the "look for less" part.

As a follow-up to my posts from Sep. 23 and  Jul. 24 about the Chanel Mobile Art exhibit, here is a link to a review in today's New York Times, "Art and Commerce Canoodling in Central Park" by Nicolai Ouroussoff. The exhibit opened yesterday.

It's a quite critical review. He compares the unfortunate timing of this installation during an economic crisis to the similarly poor timing of the opening of the Rem Koolhaas designed Prada store in SoHo just 3 months after September 11th. Ouroussoff is mostly respectful of Zaha Hadid (the architect of the structure) but pretty much pans the artwork inside as "completely mundane: tame clichés laboring to be provocative" and the concept by Chanel as "a cynical marketing gimmick". He sums it up as a visit into "...a black hole of bad art and superficial temptations, straying farther and farther from the real world outside..."

It's an interesting perspective and I think the review deserves a read.  It makes some good points about our often pretentious and materialistic society.  But anyway, I'm still going! 

You can now book advance reservations to Chanel's Mobile Art Exhibit online. Several time slots are already sold out, so hurry!  They are complimentary too!

It's less than a month now until it opens!

I read about this in the New York Times this morning and it sounds fabulous, I can't wait... A "Mobile Art" exhibit sponsored by Chanel and housed in a really cool futuristic art pavilion is coming to Central Park this Fall, in October.

The structure that houses the exhibit was designed by a London architect, Zaha Hadid, and has already been to Hong Kong and Tokyo; and after New York it will be going to London, Moscow and Paris.

Inside this thing which is like art itself and a draw on its own... will be 15 works commissioned by Chanel by 15 contemporary artists that are inspired in some way by Chanel's classic quilted, chain handled handbag, "the 2.55" which was first released in February of 1955.   The works include sculpture, photograhy, videos and installation pieces. The project was inspired by the 50th anniversary of the handbag... but it has taken a few years to get it together!

The structure will be in the Rumsey Playfield area of Central Park from October 20th to November 9th.  Admission will be free.

Chanel has released their colors for Summer 2008. 

The collection is described as "The season's most alluring getaway looks with a beautifully edited makeup collection of heat-baked sands, golden browns, sunset bronzes and an array of khakis."  Sounds compelling!  I think Chanel has the best packaging in the business, it's just so elegant.  And their brushes are the absolute best. I'm in love with their "Pinceau Poudre" #6 powder brush... $49 but worth every penny. Here are my Summer color picks.

I was watching The Devil Wears Prada again the other day and I've found myself thinking about the Chanel necklace Anne Hathaway got to wear in a couple different scenes.  I'm pretty sure it's Chanel costume jewelry (not Chanel Fine Jewelry).  It's kind of suprising that Chanel, such a luxe brand, even makes costume jewelry, but it is said that Coco Chanel actually introduced costume jewelry to the fashion world back in the 1920s. 

I wonder how much something like this costs?  I can't find Chanel jewelry for sale online anywhere, I suspect that they don't allow it. I guess I'll have to go to the Chanel boutique in New York to check it out.