It's Bastille Day and we thought we'd celebrate by giving you a look at the fabulous Chanel collection available at Decades right now. The Ready-to-Wear dates from as early as the 1990s through last year, and the two Haute Couture pieces from the 1960s and 1980s are worth seeing. We've also included blogs here to show some pieces on the runway, give the context of the collection and offer you a few styling ideas. Wearing Chanel is a stylish way to show your pride and love for France, and a smart fashion investment as Chanel is timeless and always in style. Happy Bastille Day!
The Chanel Spring 2015 RTW runway show was staged as citizens in feminist protest. The models, including different generations of supermodels like Gigi Hadid, Cara Delvigne and Gisele Bundchen, carried signs and shouted phrases together. The beginning featured bright flower-power colors of the sixties, and then turned down into black and whites. By the end, the show made a fashionable political statement with lots of fun.This sequin tweed moto jacket in pastels is Look 13. Wear it with jeans or cream silk trousers, perfect for a night out from spring through summer.
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These two jackets are from Chanel's Pre-Fall 2012 runway show. Known as the "Bombay Collection," it was inspired by India which generally isn't too common in fashion. The designs were acclaimed for presenting India as regal and sophisticated with tones of ivory and gold while avoiding the bright Bollywood colors we've all seen so much. The top jacket has a metallic thread running through the tweed which brightens its darker colors. The bottom coat is an extra fabulous piece, embroidered with pearls and rhinestones around the sleeves and detailed with elephant-coin buttons.
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This duster is from Chanel's Spring 2012 RTW runway show. Think Chanel gone sea-punk, for this collection Karl Lagerfeld was inspired by all things underwater. On this piece the ribbed detail imitates coral, and the pocket button-closures look like giant pearls. The trimming on the edges is a twisted clear plastic, a strange use of the material that makes the piece feel light while still giving it texture. While tweed was still featured with other classic Chanel trademarks, the show felt out of the box for the brand and still feels as surprising for them now. You could wear this duster with skinny jeans and a cami, or like the runway model wear it with something above the knee like shorts or a mini-dress for a super chic summer look.
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The stage for Chanel’s Spring 2013 Ready to Wear runway show looked like one big solar panel, and Karl Lagerfeld told the press he was inspired by architecture of renewable energy like wind turbines. In this bolero from that show, you can see the focus on technology in the three-dimensional intricate woven pattern fabrics juxtaposed against each other, still true Chanel chic with pearl buttons. He also mentioned, “It’s all about volume and lightness,” which explains pairing this piece with an LBD on the runway. That model is a great one to follow for a warm summer night if you want to wear something more than just a dress. It would also look fabulous on a solid-color jumpsuit.
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This skirt is from Chanel's Spring 2014 Ready-to-Wear collection. Inspired by pop art and the paint swatches on an painter's palette, the design is printed onto the silk with technology that gets every detail of color gradiation. Cara Delevigne wears the print in this runway picture. Take a note from her and style this skirt with high socks and lots of accessories, and maybe pair it with a basic white tank or t-shirt. The bright colors feel fun for summer, so you'll want to let them get the most shine while you're in the sun.
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This Chanel Haute Couture gown was designed by Coco Chanel in the 1960s. The silk chiffon was hand-beaded by Maison Lesage, Paris’ oldest embroidery studio, with a trim along the deep-v neckline and a floral design that seems to grow from the bottom of the dress. You can strut like the models wearing Chanel in the picture (also from the 60s) with the flowy and detachable shawl that makes this look even more elegant. The consignor’s mother purchased it from a private sale of the Chanel archives at Chanel Rue Cambon when Karl Lagerfeld started at the house in 1983. It hasn't been worn since the runway, the model name and look number from which are written on the lining. What I love most about this one-of-a-kind piece is the powder blue, which feels of the time and still very modern - I can’t imagine it in another color.
