I hate to complain about Chanel, being that it is a cornerstone of the fashion industry, but I have to be honest. Usually I am a little disappointed in their collections. I know the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but sometimes Chanel is just too stuck in their signatures: rounded collars, tweed fabrics, and a black and white color palette. Those design elements were revolutionary back when the house first started, but it doesn’t have the same impact it did before. Customers are younger now and constantly demand “new” and “refreshing” ideas. Keeping with the old ways will only keep Chanel’s old customers.
So it was with great surprise that I stumbled upon Chanel’s Resort collection for 2010, presented in Milan earlier this month. It showcased a new side of Chanel – a softer, more feminine look that digressed from the same-old same-old look that we have come to expect. Lagerfeld used delicate laces, off-white fabrics and a victorian sensibility. But above all, my favorite part of the collection was the specific color of red that he used.
Red is a hard color to master. In the 1980s it was flushed with an orange hue, making it harsh and difficult to wear. Designers practically gave up on it. It was generally assumed to be a lipstick or nailpolish color that just didn’t belong in clothing. Luckily a bold group of designers brought it back just a few years ago. They experimented with deep reds and burgandy overtones. It fit well into the “gem” color palette of dark purple and forrest green.
With Chanel’s Resort collection, Karl Lagerfeld did it again. This time around, his red is more muted and even leans a bit into the orangey red of years past. But something about it is so “new”, so “refreshing”. Plus, it works well with most skin tones. If anyone can make a color cool, it’s definitely Lagerfeld. And this time, he has one upped even himself.
// See the entire collection here.
