Chanel Pre-Fall 2013: Lagerfeld, King of Scots?

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As a Scot, I can be kind of snobbish about supposedly Scottish-themed fashion shows. However, this season's Chanel managed to avoid any of the expected ugly-tartan pitfalls and turned out to be just as spectacular as last year's Pre-Fall India collection. I suspect this is partly down to the fact that Karl Lagerfeld has the luxury of visiting Imaginary Scotland, which is significantly different from Real Scotland in that it primary contains castles and expensive whisky rather junkies, mud, and football hooliganism. Had it not been snowing on the night of the show, I can only assume that Lagerfeld would've hired kilt-wearing male models to grate ice-cubes onto the audience from the parapets above.

pics from Style.com

One of the problems with the backwards nature of fashion seasons is that when you're looking at Summer clothes it's usually Winter in real life, meaning that one's critical faculties are occasionally taken over by thoughts like: "WHY would anyone want to wear a floral miniskirt when everything is so damn cold?" Not so in this case, wherein the "Pre-Fall" (ie, Summer, as we would say in non-Fashionese) collection looks entirely suitable for the weather we're having in real life. I found it immensely comforting to know that all the models striding through the chilly hallways of Linlithgow castle got to wear flat shoes and blankets instead of looking knock-kneed and frostbitten as they so often do.

Lagerfeld's inspiration was a combination of Scottish history (specifically Mary Queen of Scots, who was born at Linlithgow castle) and Chanel heritage. Coco Chanel herself had close ties to Scotland, as she often stayed at the Scottish home of her lover the Duke of Westminster, and learned much about tweed and knitwear from the local clothing manufacturers. In fact, many of her masculine-styled suits were inspired by clothes she saw while on hunting parties in Scotland. The result of these two very different Scottish influences was a show mixing 16th century styles (MY FAVE; don't get me started on my love of pantaloons) and more typical (but still exquisite) knitwear and tweed outfits.

The reason for the unusual location this season was not due to a Lagerfeldian whim, for all that he embraced the Scottish theme. Over the past few years, Chanel has been producing collections honouring each of its offshoot workshops in turn. This year it's Scotland's Barrie Knitwear, which has been working with Chanel for decades but was only recently acquired by them (saving the company from liquidation, I believe).

I loved the warmth and layering in the more modern, street-style outfits. Lagerfeld can be very concerned with thinness (as a contrast to the traditionally boxy Chanel silhouette) so it was a welcome change to see these rather more padded-out styles. In some ways, several of them reminded me of traditional Russian and Eastern European-inspired designs such as those of Ulyana Sergeenko, possibly they acknowledge the existence of cold-weather clothes other than peacoats and cardigans.

I love both these outfits, even though neither are exactly my style. The above outfit has clear Mary Queen Of Scots-era inspirations in the form of the split-front skirt, whereas the outfit below is 100% mid-century Scottish Laird's wife.

OF COURSE my favourite section of the show was the series of outfits with clear links to the padded faux-armour of the 16th century. In most cases puffball skirts replaced outright pantaloons, but I loved the jackets tailored to resemble doublets, as well as all the ruff-like collars.

Oh, another detail I really appreciated about this show -- flat shoes. "Practical" isn't really something one expects from Chanel (especially Lagerfeld's Chanel), but this show proved that high-end designer clothes can be both interesting and comfortable.

Rather than the single traditional wedding dress at the end of the show, there was an entire final phase of white gowns -- all of them warm and taking certain elements of inspiration from Renaissance-era Scotland.

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Chanel, Spring 2013: At least there's no iceberg this time?

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What's the theme of this season's show? You know there must be one, because Karl Lagerfeld is in charge. This time last year it was an Under The Sea theme featuring Florence Welch emerging from a conch shell, but this one is a little more obscure. I'm going to let you mull it over a bit and then reveal the truth after the cut, so for now just take a gander at this outfit and try to divine its ~hidden meaning~.

pics from Style.com

Of all the challenges one has to face in order to reach the Fashionista's Stone, Lagerfeld's would surely be the Snape-style brain-teaser that relies too heavily on metaphor. Actually, the idea of Lagerfeld as Fashion Snape is worryingly believable... 
Yes, it's that obvious theme for a Spring fashion show: renewable energy! You can tell because there are a whole bunch of windmills and the runway was made to look like solar panels. And stuff

"Energy is the most important thing in life," said Lagerfeld, informative as always. Evidently he's already forgotten that one time he had an iceberg shipped in to adorn one of his previous fashion shows. That's so 2010.

 Aside from the characteristically out-there theme, the clothes themselves were relatively conservative and fit solidly within Chanel parameters. This being Spring RTW there were a lot of variations on the boxy Chanel suit, but made a little lighter and more summery by chopping the sleeves off at elbow level and cropping the jackets to bolero length.

Also usual for Chanel (or, more specifically, Lagerfeld's Chanel), was the focus on outfits for thin women. I'm yet to see a ready-to-wear Lagerfeld outfit that would work for anyone with big boobs, but since Lagerfeld is notoriously fat-phobic this doesn't come as a huge surprise. Much of this particular collection relied on a slim waist/bulky jacket combination that while flattering to some figures, is unlikely to work very well unless you're an A-cup or comfortable with looking like your upper torso abruptly triples in diameter somewhere around your sternum.

Oh, and there was an uncomfortable-looking photovoltaic panelling dress, because did you know there is a theme.

For all that I find Lagerfeld to be an endless source of entertainment, Chanel is never going to be the label for me. My favourite things from this show were undoubtedly the accessories: Bright, stripey wedge-heels, and wide-brimmed hats. I love the idea of a summer hat with a completely transparent brim; it's just so gloriously impractical. Wide-brimmed hats are terribly feminine and summery but transparent/shiny materials like this are generally seen as futuristic, the end result being what looks like an Ascot hat for characters in Blade Runner. 

As a postscript, I give you two of the worst outfits I have ever seen in a Chanel show. The fact that Lagerfeld approved the manufacture of a strapless denim minidress is surely something that will haunt him to the grave. [Edited to add: This outfit is even worse than I originally thought, because someone on twitter just pointed out to me that it makes her look like "one giant butt".]

I don't even know what this is supposed to be, but I hope no one buys it. It's like someone took one of the ABBA-themed costumes from Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and then tried to make it look as depressing as possible. And decided to glue some fishing lures all around the hems, for whatever reason. HORRIBLE.

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Chanel Fall 2012: Geological reports from the Fortress of Solitude.

Previously on Chanel: Karl Lagerfeld, Lord of the Sea addresses the proletariat via harp and conch-shell, and Karl Lagerfeld has never been to India but let's just gloss over that, shall we?

"Diverse" isn't a word that springs to mind when thinking of Chanel, but this collection was extraordinarily varied. The 68 looks ranged from billowing, translucent dresses to armour-like metallic suits, so it was just as well that the theme was easy to pick out: gems. A perfect opportunity for writers to start in on a seemingly endless wave of puns like so many Carrie Bradshaws. Look no further than this review, which summarises the show as "A gem of a collection... Solid as a rock." Just let me get my geological hammer to break into this treasure trove of -- oh, never mind.

Aside from the eyebrows, makeup was minimal. Having Vulcan brows made from tiny rocks glued onto their faces gave the models an especially stern look, adding to the typically aloof Chanel mood. I can just imagine Karl backstage: "Eyebrows are the true source of expression, but why should a Chanel Woman tempt wrinkles when she can communicate directly via the resonance of crystals? The Chanel Woman does not WEAR the diamond, she IS the diamond!"

pictures from Style.com

The show opened with some narrow-legged trouser suits that more closely resembled the looks Chanel has been producing over the past few years. Rough, relaxed fabrics, all in -- of course -- jewel tones like purple and teal.

Yes, this show did take place in the Fortress of Solitude, which is just as well because some of the outfits did look a little like something out of a comicbook. There's definitely something a little bit Thor about these chestplate-necklace/tinfoil dress ensembles.

Microwavable, and angry about it.

The dress pictured below was a real standout for me, oddly enough. A simple LBD, suitable for body-types other than that of catwalk models, and plain without being boring. The jewel in the centre of the chest and the shape of the neckline tie in with this show's theme, while the assymetrical wraparound skirt and leggings underneath are a nod to Chanel's Indian inspiration last year. 

And now we return to Vulcan. Wearing something that looks like Gareth Pugh broke into the Chanel workshops in the middle of the night and had his wicked way with one of the dresses, this particular Vulcan does not look happy to have landed on the planet of ice-crystals.

This was one of the more literal interpretations of the gemstone theme. My opinions of Chanel are so detached from my own tastes that I find things like this somewhat hard to judge. Is this something that other people would like? That they'd wear? This Doctor Who costume-looking dress that turns your nipples into the armoured points of a crystalline stained-glass window?

So that thing I mentioned earlier about diversity? Yeah. This next section of the show was drastically different from the looks it was sandwiched between -- and, incidentally, was the closest to something that I'd actually wear.

I can't work out if the Gap Yah scarves in these outfits are actually part of the dress or a separate item. The whole thing seems like a very curious choice for a Fall show, particularly one from Chanel, although I do follow that the repeated uses of translucent fabrics are probably another note on the crystal theme.

This coat was probably the trendiest thing in the show. Un-tailored tailoring, exterior seams borrowed from Gareth Pugh, and oversized rounded shoulders.

 Whereas this white suit was the most traditionally Chanel thing they had to offer: Vulcan grandmother chic.

The show's finale piece was this almost Alexander McQueen-esque gown, an intricate mesh of oil-slick scraps of fabric, with a bodice of feathers layered over one another like scales. For Chanel, a surprisingly aggressive and peculiar choice -- very Tilda Swinton as the witch queen in Narnia.

While I personally thought the shoes were hideous and chilly-looking, I'm sure they'll sell like hotcakes thanks to the very noticable crystal heel. Until someone starts making believable knockoffs, that heel will be an instant Chanel status-symbol, for people who care about that sort of thing.

Lagerfeld, wearing a colour for the first time in years.

Karl Lagerfeld note: If you have any fashion questions -- or life questions -- that you feel Mr Lagerfeld might be able to help with, then I suggest Lagerfeld Advice.

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Chanel Pre-Fall 2012: Karl Lagerfeld has never been to India but let's just gloss over that, shall we?

Previously on Chanel: Karl Lagerfeld, Lord of the Sea, addresses the proletariat via harp and conch shell.

Chanel's Pre-Fall 2012 collection surprised me on two counts:

1. While this line is "India-inspired" (instant alarm bells, especially since Karl Lagerfeld has never been to India) it doesn't seem like the creepy cultural appropriation that typically results from this kind of idea. Of course, come 2012 real-time -- as opposed to fashion-time, which operates approximately six months in everyone else's future -- I fully expect to see a whole host of mildly-racist photoshoots in Vogue, Elle, etc. (If this sounds like cynicism, that's because it is. I'll be sure to get back to you in six months if the world of high-end magazine photography has managed to align itself with the cultural mores of the 21st century by then, but I doubt it.)
2. Against all fashion-world logic, this show is actually more interesting than Chanel' Spring 2012 line, despite the fact that Pre-Fall isn't a "real" season.

Thankfully, Lagerfeld resisted the temptation to give the models an India-inspired setting, restraining himself to an opulent banquet hall including a Chanel-brand miniature railway carrying decanters round and round the central table as the audience gazed on wistfully from afar, tragically decanter-less. I suspect that the audience couldn't see the lower half of the outfits over the top of their banquet tables, but I doubt any of them complained within earshot of Lagerfeld.

The looks ranged from quite obviously India-inspired to classic Chanel designs such as the kind of fitted, boxy skirt-suits that tend to send me to sleep. There were some rather pretty ones this season, but I'm only posting one of them because you know what a skirt suit looks like already, come on:

All catwalk photos from Style.com

OK, I lied. Here's a second trad-Chanel suit -- one that's far less chic and military-inspired. Urgh. It looks like something Professor Umbridge would wear in a playful mood. By the way, those aren't fishnets -- they're thick tights with gold fishnet pattern, for those who want to wear gold fishnets with their bobbly suit and (why, though) hot-pink sweater, but don't want chilly knees.

Dislike.

One thing I was impressed with was how warm all the models looked. I always feel that bare-legged models look especially chilly when they're wearing Fall/Pre-Fall designs (ie, anything other than couture gowns or wispy dresses), and white backgrounds like this are always reminiscent snow. Chanel's Spring 2012 show was supposedly ocean-themed, but the entire set was white (of course; it's Lagerfeld) so it looked like the models were all wearing summer dresses to an ice rink. Part of the reason for the unusually comfortable-looking models this season was Lagerfeld's love of rough silk and slightly thicker fabrics for his suits, but mostly it was because many of them sported these legging-boots:

Interesting, although possibly not suitable for every outfit. Also, very difficult to fit correctly, by the looks of them, so I don't know if they'll be catching on in the real world any time soon. I did see quite a lot of this kind of boot on the runways last season, though, to go along with the skirt-over-trousers trend, but thankfully none of Chanel's boots were open-toed (ugh).

Another contributing factor to model-warmth: the wraparound scarves.

Edited to add: A commenter informs me that this garment is based on something called a dhoti: "The way it is tied allows men to preserve their modesty with one length of material, while at the same time allowing for breathing space without the silliness of wearing a skirt. The way it is tied can change depending on the regional style, and on social class (more monies more dhoti to wrap on round)."

Gloves, jacket and clutch bag: undeniably Chanel. Shirt, tasselled necklace, skirt-scarf and hair/makeup: in keeping with the Indian theme. This was one of my favourite outfits from the collection, although I notice that when coupled with other garments (and, I should note, a caucasian model) the gathered fabric around the hips started to look a lot more like a product of neo-hippie urban street styles:

I've totally seen this girl participating in a drum-circle in the Edinburgh Meadows.

The hair and makeup definitely accentuate that in this case, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm actually rather a fan of the pile-of-dreadlocks hairstyle, and in conjunction with some of the outfits the combination of dreads and metal accessories gave it an almost Steampunk look.

Karl Lagerfeld is notoriously fat-phobic when it comes to his models, which I find rather surprising considering how many of his Chanel designs are suitable for non-model body types. Chanel designs, particularly suits, look good on older women and don't require the wearer to have a very narrow waist. Also, some of these outfits could be worn by a 90-year-old just as well as they could a woman in her 30s.

This next outfit would be absolutely perfect for the rich and middle-aged, ie Chanel's primary market:

There were 79 looks in all, far more than one expects from a Pre-Fall line. Although considerably more interesting than predicted, there were also a few obvious mistakes. I don't know what this pink dress thinks it's doing lurking amongst the rest of the designs in this show, but it does not belong.

WTF is that? It looks like Primark beachwear crossed with a doily.

And with this new line, Lagerfeld hit a definite wall in terms of his favoured recurring theme of dressing some of the models as himself:

I've seen quite a few outfits like this recently, with a long heavy skirt and button-down shirt, reminiscent of Old West clothing. A little shapeless, but easily workable in real life and warmer than a lot of high-end fashion. However, I really dislike neckties combined with skirts, particularly wide neckties like this. Women in ties: awesome. But only with trousers, and generally a skinny tie. If you're slim (especially if you're a woman), wearing a wide tie means you run the risk of looking oddly miniaturised. Take the model above: the end of her necktie is about 1/3 of the width of her entire waist. Now imagine your father wearing a necktie of the same proportions to his waist. Cartoonish, isn't it? 

Not sure about the headscarf, but this jacket is sleek and wearable. The cut of it looks vaguely South Asian without seeming like a direct riff on Nehru jackets or anything, and the button-spacing is particularly smart. Even though it's got four buttons, they're high and closely-spaced enough that the model doesn't come across as unbending or nebbish when they're all buttoned up. As a rule, though, most jackets should have at least one button left undone.

My favourite outfit of the show. Beautiful and rich without being gaudy, and seamlessly melding the Indian inspiration with the sleek, rectangular sillhouette of the classic Chanel jacket. In my opinon, this outfit is incredibly versatile. Not in the sense that you can wear it to the office and a wedding and a dive bar all in the same day (Because you can't. A wedding, yes. But only to the office if you're P.A. to a countess, and definitely not to anywhere you might encounter dirt.) but because it could actually be worn by pretty much anyone. Given a little tweaking of the pearlescent colouring and beads, this could definitely be a unisex outfit, the coat itself being barely tailored to the female body shape at all. This would have been such a perfect outfit for Andrej Pejic that for a moment, I thought this model was him.

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