I was recently asked to review the recent Chanel Collections and after wading through numbers of images of both the Spring and Summer collections, I have narrowed down my favorites.  What makes a Chanel piece, different than any other?  The obvious trademark buttons of course; the unique point of view of the iconic jacket in its many forms.  There is so much more that makes the house still unique after all these years:  A sense of inocence; an almost schoolgirl charm and evocative memories of the 1920’s when the house was born.  Chanel herself captured that fine line between being a lady of both elegance as well as bohemian freedom.  I am not afraid to say when something does not work and I am the first one to declare a particular collection story, a triumph.  In Karl Lagerfeld’s search for relevance or modernity he can often go off in left field. Editing the collections is critical for ANYONE serious about the clothes.  Perhaps the greatest triumphs for Chanel are on the Hollywood red carpet when we get a chance to really see how a gown lives, breathes and evokes the scent of fame and fortune all in one moment; that moment is worth more than a thousand words.
Editor’s Note:    (photos provided by CHANEL.com)