Chanel Your Inner Scotsman

     The latest Metiers D'art Collection by Chanel had me cringing at first. I don't find Uggs to be stylish, and seeing kangaroo-fur booties made me question. However, I later came to appreciate the near-grunginess and hardness of the line. I would imagine that many people associate Chanel clothing with elegance and opulence. However, the early natives of Scotland were considered barbaric and gritty.
   Personally, artistic juxtapositions get me very excited.
   A gritty and authentic creation by Karl

Lagerfeld had me infatuated. Fair-isle prints were given a haute transformation with linear patterns made of sequins, and embroidered on an airy black chiffon fabric (as seen on model Julia Nobis, to the right). Traditional tartan prints were framed with jewels, and argyle became the chicest pattern since the 90s. After watching the show several times, I knew that there would be many visits to the Chanel boutique.

Here are some of my favorite looks from the collection: 

(Runway photos resource: http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/pre-fall-2013/chanel/. Retrieved 1/3/2013.)

   Something I've learned with these trips is this: runway photos you see online are taken from a distance. Thus, the amount of detail you will find in person is astonishing. The runway and detail photos did no justice to the beauty that exuded from the clothing. 

Source: http://chanel-news.chanel.com/en/home/2012/12/backstage-photos-paris-edimbourg-2012-13-show-.gallery.html

   Inspecting and appreciating the works of craftsmanship gave me surprising insights. The pants worn on the right appear to be a heavy denim. In the boutique I held the bottom hem and lifted it up to my eyes. I expected it to feel and weigh as much as 90s mom-jeans; instead, I was baffled by its weightlessness, thin composition, and silk texture.

Being strongly influenced by the style of this show I decided to take it to it's male counterpoint:

           

        

      

    Outfit credit: quilted hunter jacket- Tasso Ella, cable knit shawl collar sweater- Tasso Ella, wool tweed pants- Tommy Hilfiger, faux crinkled leather combat boots- Forever 21, wool check scarf- Vintage Burberry, silver chain-link bracelet- Hot Topic, red and rusted chain-link cuff- eBay, brooch- Chanel, kilt pin- eBay, leg warmers- salvaged from a knit sweater. 

   I was confused when I read that the signature Chanel jacket was lined with a chain from the inside. So I looked at a picture of a regular tweed jacket and compared it to the fit of a Chanel jacket. The difference is very noticeable: A regular jacket will fit on you. The fabric has its own weight and will sit on your body. A Chanel jacket will fit to your shape. The weight of the chains (sewn on near the lining) pulls the fabric down so that it will conform to your body. Basically, all this means is that a Chanel jacket is made to fit perfectly.

 Vogue France did an article showing some workmanship done by the contributing craftsmanship houses of the Metiers D'art collections. Here's some of their photos depicting the creation of some Edinburgh pieces (resource: http://en.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-news/diaporama/chanel-metiers-d-art-derues-lemarie-massaro-lesage-goossens-maison-michel-guillet-montex-causse-barrie-knitwear-lognon/16567/image/887316).

   

This coat worn on the left works the same way a typically Chanel jacket, but without sewn-in chains. The tartan collar and cuffs are very heavy; from what I saw, they are two solid layers of boiled wool. That day when I stumbled in the boutique there happened to be a woman trying the piece on. The fit was impeccable and flawless. Even with the denim pants she was wearing, her look was complete. 







   If you enjoy this collection I'd really suggest taking a look into my 'Soviet Reversal Trick' post where I cover Chanel's 2009 Metiers D'art (Paris-Moscow) Collection.

"They can take our lives, but they can never take our freedom!"- Braveheart

   

Foil Methadone

    Burberry was established in 1856. The brand is known for having created the trench-coat and the "Burberry check" pattern. In the 157 years that the name has existed, Burberry has become a powerhouse in ready-to-wear fashion. Christopher Bailey, the brand's Creative Director, has recreated the classic trench-coat in many variations, and modernized the 19th century company. 

 Nonetheless, they make some friggin' hot clothes. 

   Considering that this dress shirt is laminated cotton, it's really friggin' hot out just wearing it!
   I definitely have a lot of fun wearing this piece because it's a bold statement. Not to mention the general population's fascination with shiny clothing.
   When I first saw the shirt, I was certain it was a techno-fabric, being woven from a plethora of different metallic, plastic, and silk threads. However, I looked at the Spring 2011 show by Armani Prive (a show that laid the foundation for the use of techno-fabrics), and there was a stark difference between the two fabrics. 

 
   The fabric from Burberry Prorsum looks lighter, and resembles paper or foil. Whereas the Armani Prive fabric appears heavy, resembles liquid mercury and seems to have the thickness of a silk-satin blend.  

   When I received my shirt from my very good friend JuJU, I was absolutely enthralled! Like seeing any work of art or craftsmanship, I stared at it for quite a while. 
   I was curious though, I went to the Burberry Flagship here in Chicago, and the guy I spoke with said that there is a heat-pressing lamination process that takes place when making the shirt. 

   When I researched this process the first thing I came across was: tablecloths. I could see that fabric being used in the future with some modern designers.

   Nonetheless, the laminate coating is applied in what I'm assuming would be a hot mess of a process. The cotton itself doesn't have a color other than plain white (as seen on the inside). It's the laminate that produces the color. The Burberry shirt is wearable and breathable (when I wear a cotton t-shirt underneath), whereas a tablecloth would have your skin looking like an old man after one day of wearing. 

   How that works out is a mystery to me. Typical laminated cotton uses a polyurethane coating, and Burberry has their secret ways.

   Also- the flagship store recently had a great 60% off sale for the season and I bought a pair of metallic leather sandals from the collection. My brother sensibly called them 'Jesus Sandals' and from that point on I've called them 'Disco-Jesus Sandals.'
   It's hard to pull off the look without black socks, but I'll try to manage it one summer!

Some places are like people: some shine and some don't.- The Shining