06.08.2012- Chanel Couture Fall 2012

Catching up on all the Fall 2012 Couture presentations has occupied a lot of my spare time since I got home from my holiday, but I spending the odd hour here and there looking at pretty dresses isn't any great hardship, is it?! One of my stand-out collections was from Chanel, as Karl Lagerfeld showcased a host of shimmering, ladylike looks, which he dubbed 'New Vintage':

Staged in the section of the Grand Palais originally used by Coco Chanel to showcase her couture pieces (if you've seen Coco Before Chanel, you'll be familiar with the sort of early salon presentations undertaken by the label which have since become so iconic), this was a collection which made a series of overt references to the heritage and longevity of the brand. Tweeds and bouclé jackets, staple pieces from the Chanel archive, were core components of this collection, as were sweeping ballgowns, nipped in waists and a series of shimmering embellishments. This 'New Vintage' vision owed a great deal to the shapes and silhouettes of the 20s and 30s, with dropped waistbands, wide legged trousers and sharp tailoring all nodding to the genesis of the signature Chanel aesthetic during these decades. Whilst Karl Lagerfeld's assertion that 'vintage is depressing' is something which I don't at all agree with, his re-imagining of vintage design for the modern consumer is one which is unquestionably elegant and innately stylish, and which I'm sure will continue to ensure the longevity of the Chanel brand.

What did you think of the Chanel Couture presentation?

(Image credit: style.com.)