As a devoted follower of the great and powerful Karl, I’m a bit apprehensive to say that I find the Chanel Fall 2010 RTW collection to be rather horrendous. It’s been out for months, but I’ve just been trying to ignore it and hope it falls into some black hole of hideous fashion. Needless to say, it didn’t, and as the cold months start approaching at a faster rate, I must prepare myself to see these hot hairy messes more and more often. It might take me awhile to get used to this new kind of Chanel (or as I like to call it,”Chewbacca Chanel”), but maybe that’s just because I don’t like looking like Sasquatch. I’ll admit, there are a few beautiful and wearable pieces in the collection, but I use the words “beautiful” and “wearable” quite loosely here.

If you are someone who routinely reads fashion sites or lives in New York, you may remember that big hubbub when Karl was in Soho shooting the campaign.  I too was excited to have the great Karl shooting in our territory, but unfortunately the results aren’t fantastic. The setting looks pretty mundane and much to my horror, the furry boots make multiple appearances (although I’ll admit I’ve seen even more ugly things walking around Soho).  Seriously, who thought it would be sexy to put Margot Tenenbaum on top of an ewok? WHY, KARL, WHY?!

But I forgive him. Although it’s a little late, I couldn’t resist doing fashion formulas for the collection. Yeah, they are quite obvious, but seriously folks…  look at these ugly monsters (and I’m not talking about the wampa).

And to mix it up, here’s a dandy…

Comments (0) Aug 27 2010

It has suddenly occurred to me that Karl never made an appearance on the site for his two favorite summer holidays: July 4th and Bastille Day! Rest assured, dear readers; he was thoroughly enjoying himself in typical Karl fashion.

Speaking of Chanel (which is synonymous with Karl in my mind), check out this picture of young Coco sporting a swimsuit of her own design back in 1914:

This image was scanned from a book I own called Chanel and Her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux (a fascinating collection of stories and images that I highly recommend). The text reads:

In a characteristic move, Coco borrowed the material of Boy’s sweaters, a technique she would often repeat in subsequent years, searching through the wardrobes of her lovers for elements of masculine attire. Thus was born a very chaste suit.

Little did she know it would one day lead to this creation by the fashion house that she founded:

Zut. Ah. Lors.

Comments (0) Jul 22 2010

From the farm land to the high seas, Chanel always makes a big splash. While it seems the theme of most resort 2011 collections could be “What Not to Wear on a Boat,” the creative geniuses at Chanel decided to show their nouveau collection on the shore of Saint-Tropez with models that arrived on actual speed boats. The surprisingly laid-back collection features flowing floral gowns, sporty checkered swimsuits, and a few airy pajama-like ensembles, quite a different direction from the masculine-tailored suits and tight-fitting dresses seen at shows like Alexander Wang and Rachel Roy. The classic Chanel tweed made a few appearances in the form of girly mini-dresses and even a mustard full-length jumpsuit, while gladiator sandals and beaucoup de denim made the collection look a bit more casual. (even enough to wear on a boat!) In the spirit of all things summery and Karl, let’s take a look at some of the collection along with the crazy influences that I like to imagine.

Comments (1) Jun 07 2010

ThePopCouture is currently on vacation with seaside Karl. We’re too busy drinking daiquiris and being fabulous to post anything this week, but we will have great new stuff to share when we return.  Bonne semaine mes amis! I hope I remembered to pack all of my beach clothes….

Comments (2) May 11 2010

Only Karl Lagerfeld (see post below) could make romping around in hay and dirt look so haute.  The Chanel ready-to-wear Spring 2010 show was based around the designer’s idea of a “modern sophistication to the eco approach.” The setting included a barn adorned with the double C’s and a runway of hay and grass, a strange sight to see in Paris’ lavish Grand Palais.  Putting kitsch aside, Lagerfeld managed to pull off the country aesthetic as models strutted with cheeky smiles down the dirt-covered runway in everything from Chanel’s signature tweed to prairie prints.  Perhaps the most striking aspect of the farm-like adventure was the humor of it all, a total contrast to the seriousness that most would associate with high fashion shows. Here is a look at some of the collection along with items that may (but probably not) be related. Yee-haw!

(click image to enlarge)

For a full taste of farm freshness, check out a video of the show here.

Comments (1) Jan 05 2010

What is a supermodel? Besides being a beautiful person with high-paying contracts and widespread recognition, it’s someone with that “je ne sais quoi” that holds the power to transform both fashion and society’s ideals of beauty.

The acclaimed “Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is ending August 9th. If you live in NYC or plan on visiting soon, you can’t miss this amazing glimpse into fashion history.

The exhibit travels through historical eras from the French couture of the 40’s to the 90’s “anti-model” grunge movement creating a unique fusion of well-known costume pieces and historical media including videos, pictures, and numerous magazines on display. The mannequins seem to interact with their surroundings (below you will find a group of Dior clad figures posed in front of a wall-sized photograph of Dior’s original in-house models).  The music in each section reflects the mood of the era making it an overall sensory experience and time machine back into fashion history.  Even if you are not interested in the models themselves, it’s worth it to see both haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces from designers like Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Paco Rabanne, and Madame Grès.

Visit this exhibit and you will no longer wonder if there was more to life other than being really, really, ridiculously good looking.

Comments (0) Aug 02 2009

Since designer duds can cost an arm and a leg,  get a sugar rush from these deluxe confectionary creations:

Photographed by Swedish photographer Therese Aldgard and styled by Lisa Edsalv.

Comments (0) Jul 07 2009

Spotted in the Louvre

Empress Josephine, wife of the great Napoleon, is one of France’s most influential and historical style icons. She is known for her sophisticated taste in addition to bringing luxury fashion to the French economy. It’s only fitting that I would find this stylish girl in front of the painting Coronation of the Empress Josephine by Jacques-Louis David since her style mimics that of the empress.  She mixes a simple and elegant dress with some leather sandals to create a truly elegant look. Although this beautiful girl did not speak much English, she was a good sport to let me take her picture while trying to describe my website in some broken French.

Spotted at Versailles

Perhaps the best-known fashion innovator of French history is Marie Antoinette.  Her lavish and extreme style shocked the French courts and was known for driving the country into deeper dept. Once again it’s perfectly fitting that I would find this stylish girl who embodies the essence of Marie Antoinette’s bold fashion at the Hall of Mirrors in the Château de Versailles where the queen once lived.  I was impressed by her bold color scheme mixed with casual chic pieces.  This is definitely a regal look that you may lose your head for.

Spotted near L’église Saint-Eustache off Rue de Rivoli

I stopped this adorable girl on the street because her outfit was a great example of modern Parisian fashion.  To my surprise she was not Parisian, but rather a tourist like myself visiting from Los Angeles.  Either way her style was sleek and hip and I had to take her photograph and give her props for working the chic ensemble.  I’m particularly fond of the girly lace skirt and classic quilted leather purse.  She reminded me of Anna Karina, another French style icon from history. The Dutch born actress became a top model for Coco Chanel at age 18 and worked alongside many great French musicians and film directors. In the style of Madame Karina, this LA girl’s outfit has comfort, layering, and versatility. C’est magnifique!

Comments (1) Jun 07 2009

Spending a week exploring the styles of Paris can be a little overwhelming for fashion lovers like myself. Paris has been the capital of fashion since the 18th century and continues to be a style mecca to this day. From the first couturier Charles Frederick Worth to the classic Coco Chanel, much of what we can contribute to modern fashion has come from the les grands concepteurs of France.

French style doesn’t always look like it walked straight off the runways of Paris fashion week. People on the street appear to have their own unique looks while remaining distinctively Parisian.  It seems that French women can pull off being effortlessly chic and super functional at the same time. Perhaps some women who suffer from painful fashion choices could learn something from living in a city where the weather is constantly changing and transportation is done on foot. Comfortable shoes and monochromatic wardrobes could be the Parisian cure for your fashion woes.

One thing is for sure….people of all nationalities flood the streets of Paris to do some serious shopping. The large stores in Paris (as well as the McDonald’s) are extremely impressive. If you are ever in the city, check out these historical masterpieces of retailing:

Printemps, founded in 1865, is a high-end major department store that exudes beauty in and outside the building itself.

http://departmentstoreparis.printemps.com/

Forum des Halles is an underground shopping mall, or “centre commercial”, that is known for its distinctive glass architecture.

http://en.forumdeshalles.com/vue/form/forumdeshallesuk/accueil/accueil.htm

Citadium, located directly next to Printemps, is an amazing department store that sells all things street style.

http://www.citadium.com/

La Samaritaine is an architectural landmark and historical department store that has been closed since 2005 and will open its magnificent doors again in 2011.  In the meantime, some of the satellite buildings now hold popular stores like Zara and Sephora in their lovely Art Nouveau walls.

http://www.lasamaritaine.com/

More Parisian eye-candy to come!

Comments (0) Jun 02 2009