One designer whose jackets, sweaters, coats, evening wear, shoes and jewellery, in fact all other offerings were, and still are, forever new, is Karl Lagerfeld.
The must-haves are fans that either inherited a fortune, have a hefty trust fund, or a seven-figure salary, definitely required in order to be clad in Chanel apparel and accessories.
Decades ago I visited Paris at least once a year and one of my first stops was at Chloe, from where I’d inevitably come away with a new skirt, blouse, and/or edgy jacket -an effortless outfit which I wore for years and always felt among the world’s “best dressed” women. Chloe’s designer at that time was, Karl Lagerfeld. It was the early eighties and his brilliant, stylish designs were definitely right for me as they are now for thousands of well-to-do fashionistas.
I recall a skirt I purchased for my then smallish waistline, and there were ‘bones’ or ‘stays’ stitched into the extra high waist, I have never seen anything like that to this day. The construction of that skirt was sheer genius.
Karl Lagerfeld single-handedly revived and made Chanel back into what had been a most cherished label. For instance, the suit jackets are perfect, always with an edge, some with fringes, others embellished with just the right amount of beading and were triumphs in their materials and cut, especially those of boucle wool.
Many other designers attempt to copy, be it his trims, fabrics or the chains placed at the inner bottom of each jacket to keep it down, all Chanel/Lagerfeld extraordinary constant consideration for besting each garment.
Lagerfeld has become the ‘King of haute couture’ and one of Vogue Magazine Editor Anna Wintour’s all time favourites.
Although Mlle. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, was the first designer to get women out of girdles, into slouch pants, and to wear real and fake pearls piled on together, the ‘King’ has been able to update but still retain Coco’s originality and spirit. Incredibly, yet effortlessly well-dressed-looking women who wear its go-to and slick silhouettes add millions of dollars in revenue to Chanel’s coffers each season. Yes, wearing Chanel makes squadrons of well-heeled women feel like a few million bucks when they don the label’s garment and gems.
These days when you go to any vintage store, frequented by even posh women, the retailers always compete to buy Chanel because they sell immediately.
Smart and even rich women, have turned to vintage shopping.
Genuine vintage fashion jewelry has its own boutique. But the real gems are never seen in a vintage store, only in upper end catalogues of auction houses.
Buying Chanel has proven to be a great investment, perhaps the best label to have. Keep a jacket, for years, as I have done, and you’ll hardly believe its present value.
Having a Chanel is like opting for a stock that produces huge dividends. This iconic fashion brand has managed to keep up to date with similarity to Coco’s but no repetition all these many years.