Chanel Fall Winter 2010 Haute Couture Comes Roaring In

CHANEL Fall 2010 Haute Couture is all about a new proportion, a modern comfortable femininity.  An exquisite collection, designer Karl Lagerfeld summons 1920's flappers with a mix of 1960's modern flair - a blending of gorgeous beading, sequins, lace (the big trend for Fall), fur and feathers on short dresses (there's not a single long dress in the collection) created to enhance the gentle softness of a woman's silhouette.

Lagerfeld says he wanted something differnt for this collection, a cleaning up so to speak.  No long sleeves, no long dresses, and tired of the movie star red carpet glamour and flouncy Belle Epoque styling he wanted simple elegance.  He created with moving around in mind, like "in the roaring twenties," he says, finally "(I) liked the idea of comfort."

The craftsmanship and sophistication of the designs conjure elements of Metiers d'Art and the Houses of Lesage, Lemarie, Massaro and Montex.  The embroidery and detailing of the collection is absolutely sensuous. One just cannot single out a favorite here, it's just too painful.  The short dresses are balanced by the volume of the sleeves, masterfully created boleros, the chunky bracelets and the sumptuous boots.

Symbolism abounds throughout the collection: the lion (Coco Chanel was a Leo), the sunflower, sunburst, the shining sun, a sign of strength and renewal.  The color palette appropriately autumn with chocolate browns, bronze, taupe, beige blended with midnight blues, cherry reds, cream, white, eggplant and black.

The beauty look for this collection was nothing short of genius as well.  Who better than to perfect the red lip than Chanel.  Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, gave us the most delicious crimson red lip seen in ages. Using deep red lips and simple, nude makeup, the models were given a modern elegance. Here's the scoop on what Philips used to create this look:

(L-R) Backstage swatches, Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Color in Rivoli, Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Rouge Fatal, Chanel Les Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Enigma

"For the show, Karl Lagerfeld wanted to give a new dimension to Haute Couture makeup. He wanted contemporary hairstyles and makeup and a new sophistication: an everyday, easy to wear look. When Karl showed me his sketches, I realized that all the silhouettes had a touch of red on the mouth. The first suit he showed me was a deep magnificent red which I loved. The tone was given... The mouth and nails were going to be red! The idea was to take two classic makeup elements, a red lipstick and nail polish, and to create a contrast by emphasizing them in an ultra-modern fashion on a nude face." (Teen Vogue)

To create the look: Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Color in Rivoli, Chanel Les Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Enigma and Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Rouge Fatal (launching in October 2010).

Video courtesy of style.com

 
Chanel Fall/Winter 2010 Haute Couture shines bright.  The fashions are absolutely divine, the makeup simple yet gorgeous and new trends have been inspired with the chunky bracelets, quilted ankle boots, hair regrowth (did ya see those roots on the catwalk - yeah, that's apparently the next big thing too - whew), crimson lips, and lace (don't forget the lace - gonna be huge next season).  Many have noted this as Lagerfeld's best collection, a sentiment which he apparently loathes.  Why?

Lagerfeld believes, "Fashion is about going ahead, not about memory. When people want to be liked for what they did, they should stop."

So has all the creative genius that went into the Chanel Fall 2010 Haute Couture collection left him blank of ideas for the moment?

"No," quips Sir Karl, "I will be ready by tomorrow morning."

For more information on this equisitely sumptuous collection as well as backstage commentary, video and more with Karl Lagerfeld, visit Chanel.com.



images/photos: Chanel, Makeup and Beauty Blog (Chanel Quad in Enigma), Lacquer Bourdoir (Rouge Fatal), Style