Sandra‘s Closet

“Everyone called her Coco but her real name was Gabrielle. It’s the perfect name for a handbag that has all the codes of CHANEL,” explains Karl Lagerfeld.

In in the beginning of January, I told you already about the new It-bag alert, the GABRIELLE by CHANEL (for the previous post, click here please).

But who is Gabrielle? With the launch of this new bag that bears the name of the founder of the House, Karl Lagerfeld has been continuing the tradition and enriching the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel who created a handbag in February 1955 that freed up women’s movements. Her design was a bag with lines as beautiful as they were functional, by this she revolutionised the world of fashion and accessories.

Introduced during the S/S 2017 runway show (see photo above and the next two below), this new bag draws from the futuristic spirit of the collection with a mischievous wink to Gabrielle Chanel. Indeed, the designer was inspired by the shape of augmented reality glasses, and also by the binocular cases gentlemen would wear over the shoulder at the racecourse. We know menswear gave Gabrielle Chanel the idea to design, among so many other things, bags that were both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Fitted on a rigid thermoformed base, the main body of the bag is extremely light and ultra-supple: this contrasting structure gives it perfect stability and enables women to find their belongings with ease. In tune with the search for comfort advocated by the founder of the House, it hugs the silhouette, moves with the gait and never hinders it. Its adjustable strap comes with a double chain interlaced with leather in both golden and silver metal.

An original detail that allows for three different ways of wearing it: either over the shoulder, across the body or both at the same time, with the chain going over one shoulder and then diagonally over the other. It thus adapts to the wearer’s character, situation or mood.

Crafted from aged calfskin with a quilted body and a smooth base, in black or white unicolours or bicolours (black/white, navy/black, beige/black), CHANEL‘s GABRIELLE bag comes as a hobo version, itself available in three formats, a backpack, a large shopper and a supple purse contained in a rigid half-case. This purse exists in numerous versions: in addition to the leather version there’s black python and also vibrant shades of yellow, pink, red, blue and aqua. The lining is a garnet-hued cloth, the ultimate reference to the first-ever bags created by Gabrielle Chanel.

With CHANEL‘s GABRIELLE bag, Karl Lagerfeld renews the distinctive codes of the brand and perpetuates the history of a House: a beautiful tribute to its founder who always put comfort and women’s freedom at the heart of all her creations.

Below you can enjoy some of the new models from the Paris Cosmopolite Métiers d’Art collection that feature some amazing special editions of the Gabrielle collection.

The pieces from the S/S 2017 collection have already hit the shelves this week, so hurry as those will sell out fast.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel
#TheCHANELGABRIELLEbag
#GabrielleChanel

Bag aficionados, here we go! Meet CHANEL‘s new GABRIELLE bag. The official advertising campaign is announced to launch on April 3rd 2017, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld and featuring four guests of honour: Kristen Stewart, Caroline de Maigret, Pharrell Williams, along with Cara Delevingne.

Pharrell Williams, Cara Delevingne and Karl Lagerfeld at the Chanel Collection des Metiers d’Art Pre-fall 2017: Paris Cosmopolite Show at Hotel Ritz on December 6, 2016 in Paris.

All four of them have woven strong links with CHANEL. Kristen Stewart has appeared in several fashion and beauty campaigns since 2013. Model, music producer and writer, Caroline de Maigret is also a close friend of Karl Lagerfeld. Pharrell Williams appeared in the designer’s short film that celebrated the Paris-Salzburg collection; he composed the film’s music and was the face of that same collection alongside Cara Delevingne, who is ever loyal to Karl Lagerfeld.

First presented at the S/S 2017 show, CHANEL’s GABRIELLE bag is like a mischievous wink to Gabrielle Chanel. Karl Lagerfeld wanted it to have the same aesthetic and practical spirit in that blend of strength and elegance that characterises CHANEL handbags. Fitted on a rigid thermoformed base, the main body of the bag is extremely light and ultra-supple: this contrasting structure gives it perfect stability and makes finding belongings effortless. In tune with a continuing search for comfort advocated by the founder of the House, it hugs the silhouette, moving with the gait and never hindering it.

Its adjustable strap comes with a double chain woven from leather and golden and silver metal. A highly original detail permitting several ways of wearing it: over the shoulder, across the body or both at the same time, with the chain going over one shoulder and then diagonally across the other.

Stay tuned – more to come in April! I am already in love…
#TheCHANELGABRIELLEbag

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel, Sketch: © Karl Lagerfeld/Chanel

DRUNK WITH LOVE AND ELEGANCE
Three letters were all it took to mark an entire existence. They form the nickname of Arthur Capel, that dark, handsome gentleman with a penchant for mustaches and tailor-made tweed, who was more than just the love of Coco’s life. He was the first to truly believe in the remarkable talent of the young Gabrielle. “‘Since you are so attached to them,’ Capel said to me, ‘I’m going to get the clothes you have always worn remade elegantly by an English tailor,’” she loved to tell. With the funds that he invested in the opening of her first Parisian boutique —and that she reimbursed in full, a sign of her legendary independence— Gabrielle revolutionized women’s style and rendered it more accessible, borrowing what she deemed essential from men’s apparel. This period was the wellspring for all the founding elements of Rue Cambon.

Arthur «Boy» Capel and Gabrielle Chanel

But Boy is not just the one who believes in her. He is a woman’s murmur to her lover. He is the promise of a life of adventure. He is the widely read intellectual with a passion for politics and spiritualism; the one who would introduce Gabrielle Chanel to Western esotericism, the world of symbols, and Eastern culture, among countless other subjects. He is the polo player with an aloof elegance. He is the burst of laughter in the morning. He is the accent of desire. He is the one who makes her feel most like her true self. And because he continually influenced Gabrielle and the House of CHANEL, BOY CHANEL makes a natural addition to the Collection LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL. An olfactory tribute to an all-consuming passion and the endless play on masculine-feminine.

Coco Chanel’s love, her boy Arthur Capel

FROM ICONIC MASCULINE TO INTRIGUING FEMININE
The dazzling love of Gabrielle Chanel for twelve years, Boy Capel became the stuff of legends by dying too young. And this short-lived passion, this enchanting parenthesis, is what interested House of CHANEL Perfumer, Olivier Polge. Rather than focusing on the historical portrait, he set his sights on how Boy influenced Gabrielle. As he perused the CHANEL photo archives, one thing became clear: Arthur Capel’s irresistible elegance. The way he combed his hair back, the care he took with his shirt collars, the way he sported his riding clothes and even his bedwear with panache. And then there was the muscular body he flaunted on holiday in Saint Jean de Luz, this virile strength that seemed to overwhelm Coco’s frail silhouette. A male mythology that inspired Olivier Polge and sparked his interest in the fougère accord. Traditionally blending lavender with geranium, coumarin and moss, this classic structure in perfumery conjures up images of a clean shave and unequivocal virility. Polge used it as his point of departure for further explorations.

BOY CHANEL – the new addition to the Collection LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL

KALEIDOSCOPE OF ROSE GERANIUM
Like Gabrielle Chanel who borrowed from men’s wear without giving up any of her femininity, Perfumer Olivier Polge was motivated by this mix of genders, imagining the mark of a man on the skin of a woman. That unique fragrance of love when the other person’s scent permeates your skin and the fusion prevails over the original scent. Of the fougère structure, the nose was particularly interested in rose geranium. An androgynous flower with equally minty and rosy facets. A variety often tarnished by the monotony of balcony flower boxes and yet one that can prove to be absolutely splendid when properly cultivated. In Pégomas, near Grasse, where CHANEL already sources its jasmine grandiflorum and May rose, Olivier Polge chose to renew with this ennobled ingredient. He found it to be of an irresistible simplicity. All that remained was to give it a new breath, an impetus and a feminine touch.

LEGACY OF REFINEMENT
From the very first second, you detect the lively energy of lemon and grapefruit zest, and the scent of lavender as if freshly rubbed in the palm of your hand. An aromatic and distinguished burst that heralds the heart of rose geranium to follow. This flower with vapors of lemongrass, mint and rose, often reminiscent of lychee, is accompanied by rose and an orange blossom that is as soft as it is surprising. And as if it had mellowed in contact with slightly salty, sun-warmed skin, the geranium gradually melts into sandalwood, almondy heliotropin and coumarin, with a hint of vanilla and cottony musk accords. The entire fougère structure is there. And simultaneously reinvented. Knowing whether the olfactory composition was designed for a man or woman no longer holds importance. Its refinement on the skin is all that matters.

GEOMETRY OF PURE LINES
True to the architecture of LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL bottles, BOY CHANEL is housed in a streamlined glass block with a monogrammed, magnetized cap that consistently realigns with the label.  BOY CHANEL will be available in two sizes 2016 (200ml, 75ml) as of June.
BOY CHANEL Eau de Parfum Vaporisateur 75 ml CHF 220.-
BOY CHANEL Eau de Parfum Vaporisateur 200 ml CHF 400.-

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

To celebrate the Rugby World Cup, CHANEL has designed four leather rugby balls featuring the iconic quilting of the House. Gabrielle Chanel, a keen sportswoman herself often referred to menswear in her designs. Today Karl Lagerfeld throws her the ball by creating a sporting accessory that is both collector and perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist.

Exceptional quality, attention paid to every detail and artisanal savoir-faire, the CHANEL rugby ball comes in four colourways: white, burgundy, navy blue and black.
The CHANEL rugby ball is available on special order.

A good reason to start to play rugby…

LoL, Sandra

Still: Courtesy of Chanel

I am so excited as I will be leaving this Sunday to Salzburg following Chanel‘s invitation to watch their upcoming Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d’art collection that will be presented on December 2nd, 2014 in the Austrian city. To celebrate this occasion, Karl Lagerfeld created a video-clip with the title “Reincarnation” (watch the trailer at the end of this post).

This new short film was the perfect opportunity for Karl Lagerfeld to develop an artistic collaboration with Pharrell Williams, a close friend of the House and personal friend of the designer. In fact, the artist composed and wrote the lyrics to “CC The World“, the original soundtrack for Reincarnation, and he also played one of the lead roles and will be, along with Cara Delevingne, the face of the upcoming campaign of the Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d’art collection.

Once again Karl Lagerfeld had imagined an episode from the life of Gabrielle Chanel. Embodied by Geraldine Chaplin, Gabrielle Chanel is holidaying in the suburbs of Salzburg in 1954. At her hotel she meets a young lift-boy played by Pharrell Williams who wears a jacket which would later inspire the iconic CHANEL jacket.

“It was time to show the origins of the CHANEL jacket, inspired by the one worn by the lift attendant in a hotel near Salzburg in the 1950s (…) Reincarnation is the story of a lift attendant’s jacket being reincarnated as a timeless piece of women’s wear,” declares Karl Lagerfeld.

Reincarnation is also the evocation of another era, that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which Karl Lagerfeld brings to life for one night in the heart of the 1950s.

Karl Lagerfeld adds: “None of this would have been possible without Pharrell Williams, Cara Delevingne and Geraldine Chaplin. It’s the perfect cast. Pharrell is a genius and Geraldine at her best in the role of Gabrielle Chanel in the year of her comeback.”

Reincarnation will be screened in Salzburg on December 1st, 2014 the night before the Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d’art show and I couldn’t be happier to be there to watch it live. Stay tuned for more…

LoL, Sandra

Photos and Trailer: © Chanel

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Gabrielle Chanel considered lace to be “one of the prettiest imitations ever made of nature’s fantasies”(In L’illustration, 29 April 1939), because they reminded her of the incomparable designs embroidered across the sky by the leaves and branches of trees.
Inspired by this light and gracious adornment, the CHANEL Makeup Creation Studio has designed DENTELLE PRÉCIEUSE, an illuminating compact powder revealing two contrasting shades of beige, pink and bronze, to sculpt the face with a translucent finish full of light.

This limited edition beauty must is in Switzerland exclusively available at Jelmoli now.

LoL, Sandra

Photo: Courtesy of Chanel

The invitation sketched by Karl Lagerfeld read, “Coco Chanel back in Dallas” and he took it literally. His fashion show for the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art collection titled “Paris-Dallas” took place last Tuesday at Dallas Fair Park, a historical venue with art-deco architecture that is located in the heart of the Texan city.

Chanel Paris – Dallas show decor

This event was the occasion to celebrate the strong bond that linked the French designer to the US. “I admire and love America. It’s where I made my fortune. For many Americans (…), I am France” stated Gabrielle Chanel, cited by Paul Morand in his book, The Allure of Chanel.

Stanley Marcus pictured on September 6th 1957 greeting Coco Chanel as she arrived in Dallas

The climax of this mutual passion dates back to 1957, when Coco Chanel – accompanied by a delegation of 125 people from France – landed on October 14th at the Dallas airport. Stanley Marcus, co-founder of the Neiman Marcus store, awarded her with the Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, the “Oscar of Fashion”. That year, the designer of rue Cambon is the only winner among the 300 fashion designers invited, an indication of the importance she holds in the hearts of Americans.

Gabrielle Chanel and Stanley Marcus during her visit in Texas

During her twelve-day Texan journey, Gabrielle Chanel dazzles the crowd to the point that Time Magazine reports the event by titling it “Dallas in Wonderland”. Fifty-six years later, Karl Lagerfeld returned to Dallas and retraced this journey that sealed the French-American love story of the designer with the people seduced by the modernity of her creations.

To celebrate the occasion, Karl Lagerfeld directed a short movie titled ‘The Return’ in which he shows Coco Chanel’s incredible return to center stage in December 1953 when the designer reopened her Haute Couture house after fifteen years of absence. The collection was welcomed by the French press with an icy silence as Dior’s 1947 New Look, cinched at the waist, had taken over the fashion hype. Only the American media supported the looks that defined the rebirth of Chanel’s style. ‘The Return’ retraces this determining period, that shaped the legend of the designer of rue Cambon forever.

The film features Geraldine Chaplin in the role of Gabrielle Chanel, Rupert Everett, Anna Mouglalis, Lady Amanda Harlech, Arielle Dombasle, the model Kati Nescher, as well as Vincent Darré and Sam McKnight.

The drive-in for ‘The Return’ screening before the show

Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collections are designed to showcase the amazing and outstanding craftsmanship of the ateliers that the House of Chanel has acquired to preserve over all those years. Personally speaking, I admire Karl Lagerfeld for his creativity that never uses an element the way it is meant to be. He transforms cowboy boots into wider versions, plays with texture so that laminated jersey looks like shiny leather and brings Native American details into the modern world.

Enjoy the photos of this absolutely fabulous collection! My favorite is this dark star-spangled gown, an ode to the ’30s with the right edge of a Texan cowboy girl! So, ladies, that’s what y’all are wearin’ next fall!

Karl Lagerfeld has chosen Kristen Stewart, who attended the show last Tuesday, to be the face of the upcoming campaign of the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art “Paris-Dallas” collection. I have to say that the American actress is not my favorite choice… but I am sure that Karl Lagerfeld will surprise us with something different once more.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, © Oliver Saillant, © AP

Once upon a time there was the most desirable woman of the 20th century…
Marilyn Monroe – the icon with a fresh sensuality – was the very essence of femininity. When she adopted CHANEL N°5, did she know what Mademoiselle Chanel had said of the bold fragrance back in 1921 : “I want a woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman” ?

Back then, the legend that this free and passionate woman wore nothing to bed but a few drops of CHANEL N°5 rocked the world. Her candid declaration of love for the quintessential feminine fragrance was there in black and white, in an article published on August 7, 1952 that accompanied her first cover of Life Magazine (see photos below) : “Marilyn, what do you wear to bed ? So I said I only wear CHANEL N°5.”

Today, that legend has become a reality. While perusing the archives on the star, the House of CHANEL discovered an unreleased recording capturing the spontaneous ambassadress’ original words. Flashback on the soundtrack : in 1960, Georges Belmont, editor-in-chief of Marie-Claire magazine *, interviewed the star of the film “Let’s Make Love” by Georges Cukor. On the spur of the moment, Marilyn confirmed the sincerity of her love for N°5 : “You know, they ask me questions. Just an example : ‘What do you wear to bed ? A pyjama top ? The bottoms of the pyjamas ? A nightgown ?’ So I said, ‘CHANEL N°5’, because it’s the truth… And yet, I don’t want to say ‘nude’. But it’s the truth !”

With this declaration, and the photo by Ed Feingersh ** showing her with a bottle of N°5 nestled in her décolleté, she definitively established N°5 as the fragrance of timeless femininity…
This advertising campaign will start this Fall in print and on TV.

N°5 – ODE TO SENSUALITY

N°5 is the first truly abstract fragrance: no identifiable dominant note stands out from the eighty ingredients used in its composition. A radical change that Jacques Polge, Creator of CHANEL Perfumes, describes as an olfactory symphony that blends notes of Ylang Ylang, Grasse Jasmine and May Rose, amplified by Aldehydes like a perfect accord.
N°5 has, since its creation, disrupted the codes of seduction and served the desires of women.
To complete the full perfuming ritual, CHANEL prolongs the trail of this legendary fragrance by creating a new sense-awakening moment with new bath and body products that invite you to fully immerse your senses in the world of N°5.

THE FOAMING BATH – BOTTLE 200 ML
A fine, generous foam, true to the fragrance, forms immediately upon contact with water for a pure moment of sensory relaxation. CHF 62.00
THE CLEANSING CREAM – BOTTLE 200 ML
A cream with a rich lather that envelops the body and fills the shower with its scent. CHF 60.00

THE BODY LOTION – BOTTLE 200 ML
Like a caress, it delicately wraps the body in a deliciously scented veil that moisturizes and protects the skin. CHF 68.00
THE DEODORANT – SPRAY 100 ML
A fresh breeze with the enveloping notes of N°5. CHF 56.00

THE HAIR MIST – SPRAY 40 ML
A delicate and sensual application for an aura of seduction and femininity. A fragrant mist that is gentle on hair. CHF 59.00
INTENSE BATH OIL – BOTTLE 250 ML
A few drops are all you need for your bath to take on a fragrant milky appearance. CHF 125.00

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, © Bob Beerman, Philippe Halsman Magnum Photos, MOA/DALLE, © Sandra Bauknecht, * © Marie Claire 1960, ** © Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

The symbols of good fortune that Gabrielle Chanel loved most inspire fall’s enchanting colour collection SUPERSTITION DE CHANEL. In vibrant shades from coral to intense pink, new LE BLUSH CRÈME DE CHANEL sets off sumptuous khaki tones of eyeshadow, mascara and polish. Coordinating lipsticks seamlessly pair with the new blush for a playful colour match.

CREATION EXCLUSIVE – LE TEINT
Le Blush Crème de CHANEL

This innovative powder-cream formula offers an enticing new way to blush with sheer yet vibrant pigments for instant luminosity. The silky texture offers a long-wear satin finish – soft and comfortable for every skin type – and is simple to apply with fingertips or brush.

Destiny (61), Présage (62), Révélation (63), Inspiration (64), Affinité (65) and Fantastic (66)
CHF 54.00

LES LEVRES
Rouge Coco Shine

This innovative formula with intensified pigments takes colour and sheen to a new level of vibrancy. Sheer, shiny, colour-rich shades are effortlessly chic, infinitely wearable. Hydratendre Complex softens and plumps lips for a healthier, fuller appearance.

Secret (85), Instinct (86), Rendez-vous (87) and Esprit (88)
CHF 46.00

Rouge Coco

A modern interpretation of classic creme lip colour as an homage to the rich life and legacy of ‘Coco’ Chanel. Lightweight lip colour glides on for easy application, and features a Hydratendre complex to help soften, soothe and condition lips – even boosting their ability to hold in moisture – for a plumper, smoother and healthier-looking appearance.

Icône (55) and Mystique (57)
CHF 46.00

LE REGARD
Ombre Essentielle

An instant CHANEL classic, this ultra-fine powder eyeshadow is sensuous in feel, foolproof in its application, and fabulous in its range of matte, satin and shimmer finishes. The versatile formula can be applied dry for subtle shading, or dampened for more intense colour – and the complementary shades can be blended with one another to lighten or deepen tone.

Hasard (99) and Gri-Gri (101)
CHF 43.00

LE REGARD
Les 4 Ombres

One essential compact offers unlimited eye looks, with shade combinations that range from matte to satin to shimmer. Versatile smudge-proof formula can be applied dry for subtle shading, or dampened for more intense colour, all with long-wearing results – in even extreme climates.

Mystère (43)
CHF 77.00

Stylo Yeux Waterproof

Waterproof, smudge-proof eyeliner delivers long-lasting definition with a twist of the wrist: Colour winds up when you need it, winds down when you don’t. Gentle, soft, silicone-enriched formula delivers smooth, even lining. A built-in sharpener at the opposite end detaches for quick refreshes.

Khaki Précieux (40)
CHF 35.00

Mascara Le Volume de CHANEL

This high-precision mascara achieves instant volume and intensely lush colour in a single stroke. Its innovative formula expands, plumping lashes to their fullest. The exclusive new ‘Snowflakes’ brush combines long and short bristles to deliver an extreme, eye-opening effect.

Khaki Bronze (40)
CHF 47.00

LES ONGLES
Le Vernis

Classic and trend-defining shades from the runways of Paris. State-of-the-art formula strengthens and moisturizes nails as it delivers long-wearing, high-shine, chip-resistant colour. Applies evenly without streaking.

Elixir (589), Alchimie (591) and Mysterious (601)
CHF 35.00

In Switzerland in stores end of August 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel

Each year, the CHANEL Métiers d’Art fashion show celebrates the exceptional talent of these Houses, pairing their know-how with a legendary destination.

PARIS – BOMBAY showcases a specific vision of India. Immense chandeliers and can­delabras bathe an opulent banquet table in light. The scent of jasmine floats through the air. Surreal princesses from an idealised empire or authentic Parisian women combine the lavishness of the Maharajas and the timeless codes of the House of CHANEL. Refined jewelry pieces clip back sumptuous hairstyles and black-shadowed eyes take on a catlike appearance.

Indian beauties know how to enhance their noble almond-shaped eyes, which they accen­tuate with kohl and dark eyeshadows. Peter Philips, Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup, intensifies the proportions of this iconic makeup to give it a universal character.Eyes succumb to the boldness and mystery of a black eyeshadow in all its nuances with ILLUSION D’OMBRE Mirifique. Graphic makeup with saturated colour blocks stretches out from the corner of the eye to express strength and femininity. The rest of the face fo­cuses on gold and light.

The exclusive creation of the collection is a precious, evanescent golden powder to dab onto cheekbones and eyelids in scintillating touches. In its classic black-lacquered case, ROUTE DES INDES DE CHANEL recreates an embossed motif of a rare fabric, a piece of bronze brocade from an Indian-influenced collection created by Ga­brielle Chanel in the 1960s. A stroke of blush structures the face and warms the translucent complexion with the hint of an elegant and sunny earth tone. Lips remain natural, enhanced by the luster of luminous beige shimmering with gold.

On nails, an original nail polish mixing pale gold and silver recalls the traditional festival of lights, for which it was named: Diwali.

All products will be available in July.

ROUTE DES INDES DE CHANEL An ultra-luminous and scintillating golden powder, CHF 85.-
(Limited Edition)

LE VERNIS Diwali A vintage gold with silvery metallic reflections, CHF 38.-
(Limited Edition)

ROUGE COCO SHINE 437 Empreinte A natural beige with iridescent golden shimmers, CHF 46.-

JOUES CONTRASTE 03 Brume d’or A bronze brown with subtle gold sparkles, CHF 60.-

ILLUSION D’OMBRE 85 Mirifique Every nuance of black, CHF 47.-

LE CRAYON KHÔL 61 Noir, CHF 32.-

INIMITABLE INTENSE 10 Noir, CHF 47.-

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel