Chanel Spring 2011 Haute Couture

 Karl Lagerfeld is having a moment of brightness. Exclaiming as though the thought alone made him feel physically ill, he announced "I was sick of all those Eiffel Towers, sick of all those violent colors," and  that was the idea behind the Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011 showing.  With masses upon masses of embellishments, sequins and intricate detailing that insured each piece would have a light, reflective and illuminating quality, the collection stuck firmly to a range of light whites sporadically interspersed with a touch of black and a few airy pastel shades. The collection was about mixing a sort of virginal brightness with a slither of sexiness.

Each model wore flat pointed shoes, while a mixture of sharp classic Chanel suits, floaty dresses and wind-swept gowns made their way down the catwalk. The beginning of the show concentrated on a range of simple jackets and coats with embellished detailing often paired with leggings, while the grand finale worked its way up to Kristen McMenamy in a feathery ball gown that looked as though composed from the lining of a fluffy white cloud. 

It was not Karl’s best show, nor my favourite Chanel show - but yet again Karl took one simple idea much like his ice-themed show in Autumn/Winter 2010, and ran with it, feverishly adding sequins here and embellishments there to get it just right  - and after all, the Eiffel Tower is so passé.

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