Chanel Pre-Fall 2010 Paris-Shanghai

[lollicandy]

well, we live in depressing times. his last ready-to-wear collection focused on the dress-up-and-play-poor period of marie antionette's life -- and we all know how that ended. the most recent couture collection pared away almost all flash and dazzle giving us a decidedly unhappy and pessimistic presentation. his last ad campaign waxed super-serious and somber in the vermont countryside. his cruise collection referenced the novel/film "death in venice." so yes, karl lagerfeld has taken chanel to an appropriately fatalistic place to reflect the times in which we live.

I understand what you are saying, but in China I don't feel this great feeling of fatalism and depression. At all. So to see this rather somber collection in of all places Shanghai, which is buzzing from the hype of the Shanghai Expo in 2010, Obama's visit, optimism for China's future, just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not saying that he should pick some devastated town or country to show the collection, but maybe this was not the right setting for showing the collection? It didn't seem to fit for me, it's anachronistic.

Zazie, I agree with you about Dries. He gets "ethnic" influence, esp. with texture, without resorting to cheesy, cliched tactics like this.

ilaughed, i know it's not the "real" China. But at the same time after reading that article in WWD online with Karl, I can't understand why he bothered to do this collection. He seems so uninterested in China, what Chinese workmanship is (or rather was), and seems to dislike Shanghai (he didn't venture out of his hotel room). I'm not seeing much inspiration but he is cashing in on the ascendancy of China and influx of mainland Chinese luxury good consumers. It's that part of the equation I'm really unhappy about.

 

[mikeijames]

I understand what you are saying, but in China I don't feel this great feeling of fatalism and depression. At all. So to see this rather somber collection in of all places Shanghai, which is buzzing from the hype of the Shanghai Expo in 2010, Obama's visit, optimism for China's future, just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not saying that he should pick some devastated town or country to show the collection, but maybe this was not the right setting for showing the collection? It didn't seem to fit for me, it's anachronistic.

let's not overthink what karl lagerfeld has done here for chanel. in the end, he put on a fantastic chanel show. he didn't put on a "new york" collection in grand central station. he didn't use traditional pieces from monte carlo in that collection. i loved the moscou collection, but let's face it, in the end, he put on a chanel collection with just marginal influences at best. that's the genius of chanel, he's showing that it has global appeal. chanel doesn't change with its locale, it CHANGES its locale.

also, let's not forget the business aspect of holding this show in shanghai, it's to cultivate the chanel business in that city. it's a way to drum up business in a town that's still piping along. not only does he get his international clientel excited about the most well executed pre-fall collection in the world, but he can also cater to his budding business locally.

 

[Boomer]

I did enjoy the film though, it's hilariously bitchy.

Me too! The only thing is: What was the Duchess whispering to Coco about!!? I need to know...

 

[vetements]

i happened to be in shanghai now and watched the officially released chanel show on tv (the one on paris vogue's website doesnt do it justice).
i thought the collection was divine; instead of pessimism, black can also be interpreted as mysterious, lots of beautiful chinese representations, modern and sophisticated (ok, i agree the farmer's hat belongs to pearl s buck's novel)

shanghai isnt what most people would think of china anyway, it was known as the paris of the orient in the 20s, even today, the french concessionaire reminds me of france.

fact that karl conceptionalised this way back in Oct 2008 (so it was said in the 1 hour programme) and created make up for the show means they are serious about it and they did give a top class act. incidentally, i automatically skipped the male models in the show, karl was never really good at doing mens ( KL is horrid too!) anyway.

 

[haoshcn]

He seems so uninterested in China, what Chinese workmanship is (or rather was), and seems to dislike Shanghai (he didn't venture out of his hotel room). I'm not seeing much inspiration but he is cashing in on the ascendancy of China and influx of mainland Chinese luxury good consumers. It's that part of the equation I'm really unhappy about.

I think he has always been like that, not just in the case of Shanghai/China. I remember watching him saying stuff like he never travels for the sake of seeing the real places and the real people, to be him that's crass. He would rather experience a place by reading books and watching artworks.

 

[sethii]

He was asked by Chinese journalists which Chinese designers he is aware of, and does he like Chinese food or tea? He replied that he doesn't really eat Chinese food, hasn't heard of any designers from China but he does know who Alexander Wang is

 

[Deleted member 1957]

It remidns me of 'the king and I

 

[iSpot]

I didn't like the film...badly acted and can't he use real chinese people or at least asians to play chinese people??

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

He was asked by Chinese journalists which Chinese designers he is aware of, and does he like Chinese food or tea? He replied that he doesn't really eat Chinese food, hasn't heard of any designers from China but he does know who Alexander Wang is

oh karl

 

[Leeroi]

My final thoughts on the collection; the simpler pieces were the best from the show. The other looks with the overly extravagant embroidering and detail work looked a little kitsch.

I wonder why Chanel clothes look better when it's simpler.

 

[Monsieur M]

Can anyone explain to me how was the red coat worn by Baptiste ( almost at the end) ment to be? Was it a big joke or?????!!!!

 

[rip_ian curtis]

The movie is so good! Love it! (but the collection is crap!)

 

[dancorpse]

I understand what you are saying, but in China I don't feel this great feeling of fatalism and depression. At all. So to see this rather somber collection in of all places Shanghai, which is buzzing from the hype of the Shanghai Expo in 2010, Obama's visit, optimism for China's future, just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not saying that he should pick some devastated town or country to show the collection, but maybe this was not the right setting for showing the collection? It didn't seem to fit for me, it's anachronistic.

All they've done is economy driven, who really cares abt the dark side behind the official hype and superficial flourishing? Shanghai is now becoming the pocket of the wealthies where seems immue to the economy turndown while just let all the negative pcs go out of town. KL definitely won't miss out the big cake.

 

[Zazie]

Me too! The only thing is: What was the Duchess whispering to Coco about!!? I need to know...

I heard the Duchess is *very skilled* in, ahem, certain areas, and likely from the shocked expression of a man-eater like Mademoiselle, it exceeds even her expectations.

 

[Boomer]

^ Isn't it bizarre how two less than beautiful, skinny women can enthral generations of the richest and most powerful men!!?

 

[Zazie]

But at the same time after reading that article in WWD online with Karl, I can't understand why he bothered to do this collection. He seems so uninterested in China, what Chinese workmanship is (or rather was), and seems to dislike Shanghai (he didn't venture out of his hotel room). I'm not seeing much inspiration but he is cashing in on the ascendancy of China and influx of mainland Chinese luxury good consumers. It's that part of the equation I'm really unhappy about.

I agree with you. I too see the lack of interest, but KL is a cynic, so I don't expect any sincerity from him. He is only interested in his own fantasies and the success of the label, not the reality of Shanghai, and he cynically panders to his rich, self-centered Chinese and non-Chinese customers while poking fun at them. This is also why I don't mind that his film's only *real* Chinese character is that short, frumpy female dresser of Marlene Dietrich - that's typical of KL. In the end, the film is a smug satire, and that's fine with me. I don't expect "nice" from KL.

The only other designer who has done Chinoiserie with TRUE HEART is the Yohji Yamamoto collection in Beijing. He is a real poet and has real appreciation for the good side of the cultures he explores. Sadly, his efforts are not as lauded as this farce by Chanel, within or outside China.

 

[Zazie]

^ Isn't it bizarre how two less than beautiful, skinny women can enthral generations of the richest and most powerful men!!?

As they say, the brain is the sexiest organ......but OTOH, the men they snagged are not exactly "prizes", are they? Think Prince Charles, the Stud and Camilla Parker Bowles...

 

[angel222]

The only missing in the collection was one Model "Mo Wandan" and it through it off for me more so than some of the unflattering coats.

 

[Verene]

Is it me or do some of the outfits look like they were inspired by Qin Dynasty eunuchs?Maybe I should lay off the historical drama shows.

 

[Harumi]

Me too! The only thing is: What was the Duchess whispering to Coco about!!? I need to know...

As tigerrouge already pointed out, she was most likely talking about teabagging.

I too see the lack of interest, but KL is a cynic, so I don't expect any sincerity from him. He is only interested in his own fantasies and the success of the label.

While I agree about Karl's egocentrism, I don't think there is anything disingenuous or cynic about it.
He has been very open and honest about how only his point of view matters to him. Karl is extremely cultivated and curious but at the end of the day, it's his vision, his opinion, his interpretation and everybody else can go to hell. He has never pretended otherwise.

In the end, the film is a smug satire, and that's fine with me. I don't expect "nice" from KL.

Well said.