Daily Front Row

2008 October 6

Chanel - Paris Spring 2009

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Chanel Spring 2009
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(PARIS) Guests entering the Grand Palais Friday morning were accosted by a life-sized replica of the Chanel flagship at 31, rue Cambon. Molding, water stains and all, it set the tone for a collection that courted commerce. Lagerfeld's timeliness is uncanny, and as editors sat on either side of a virtual street while models exited the storefront in his spring confections, all were overwhelmed with the message--shop here, look like this. And who wouldn't desire a style so chic? There were tweedy staples, of course, done up in iridescent rose and plenty of black and white, as well as chiffon evening gowns strewn with chains and pearls. And the bags--again, uncanny--were leather versions of the house's shopping totes, emblazoned with "Chanel" and "31 rue Cambon." Gimmicky? Not chez Karl--this irony will have legs, as the logo caters cheekily to a tough economy. Not everyone will get the joke, and that's just how he likes it. There were also sweet knit dresses, kinky heels and saucy work skirts--in other words, a little something for everyone. When the Kaiser graced the runway, followed by a stampede of models who took one last turn ensemble, it was clear that this man knows his market so well that it will triumph over the market at large. Bravo!