Hello, my lovelies! It has been too long since I've posted (sorry!) but I'm back now hopefully for good! Today I am going to be talking about something near and dear to my heart: Chanel. The pure essence of sophistication, Chanel is a brand whose legacy will live on forever in the world of fashion; or should I say Mademoiselle's legacy. The Fall/Winter 2014-2015 Haute Couture collection hit the runway at the Grand Palais in Paris on July 8th and the fashion world has been singing its praise ever since. From the signature tweed suit to some of the most intricate and gorgeous beadwork I have ever seen to unnaturally beautiful silhouettes created by the structured designs of one Mr. Karl Lagerfeld, this collection is absolutely breathtaking. With every Chanel show comes something completely different but one factor always remains the same: Karl Lagerfeld's impeccable talent of making textiles, patterns, and accessories that should not go together look effortlessly chic and put together. This collection was no exception. Every outfit was paired with sandals that wrapped up the model's ankles. Sandals are the last thing that should work in a winter collection but somehow, Lagerfeld makes you accept it without question. 

     This collection was filled with 70 absolutely stunning pieces. After studying each image in immense detail I have painstakingly narrowed my favorites down to five. I think each piece hits on a different element of the show and gives a really good idea of what it was all about.

Look #24

I think this one might be my favorite. This look is absolutely breathtaking. The details are beautiful almost beyond words. The collar and shoulders are embellished with deep and bright reds with some tan accents mixed in with what almost look like camellias, the signature flower of Chanel that has appeared in many designs over the years. The structured shoulders are a nice touch and give a very interesting silhouette. The torso is covered in what almost looks like crystals or ice backed by a bright red fabric. It reminds me of snowfall when it hasn't completely covered the ground; it's uneven in its placement and you can still glimpse a distorted view of what's underneath. The way this section of the piece was designed gives it a delicacy that would be very difficult to recreate. Moving further down the piece, at the waistline it is divided into another section and the silhouette flares out into somewhat of a bubble skirt shape. The design of the red flowers from the collar and shoulders has been carried down into the skirt and this gives the piece and very consistent and finished look. I think if the crystal-like embellishments has been carried down into the skirt the piece would have looked unfinished. The piece as a whole screams Christmas to me. It looks like a very festive holiday piece and I would be absolutely honored to wear this for a Christmas celebration. Now, the most interesting thing about this piece, and the collection as a whole, is Karl's decision to finish off these winter looks with sandals (although not quite as daring as pairing running sneakers with delicate spring dresses as he did earlier this year). Every model had a pair of toe-thong sandals with fabric that laced up the ankles and tied into a bow in the front. This potentially could have been a disaster. But with the right colors, fabrics, and his impeccable eye for beauty, Karl made it work. For this design in particular, the tan color that was a very subtle accent in the dress's design has been carried down into the sandals and this is what polishes off the look.

The second look I chose is this beautiful grayish-purple fur-like dress. The cascading ruffles of fabric give this dress a beautiful flow and the detached fur sleeves give it a stunning and very interesting visual element that one would not expect. Very small camellias of a darker color are placed randomly throughout the dress and this adds yet another interesting visual element that makes you really want to study it in detail. This look is extraordinarily beautiful and very feminine. This piece was paired with diamond embellished sandals of the same grayish-purple color. This is definitely one of the most unique looks in the whole collection. 

Look #40