Chanel love
Chanel was the first brand that made it click for me. I loved fashion since I could dress myself. Flipping through Vogue with my besties, I always stopped at the Chanel ads or runway pics and thought why am I pausing here? Why do I love this? I had many other couture crushes on many fashion houses but Chanel struck something in me; I MUST HAVE THIS. Not as much the item as the “feel” of what I was experiencing through the image. Sometimes the image would be on a runway vs editorial but I still felt such a strong connection to the story the clothes were telling. It was not until much later that I realized many of the styles I coveted were actually designed by Karl Lagerfeld.
A weekend in Paris
Matters were not helped when during a ballet workshop trip at age 12, we had a weekend in Paris. Paris was Chanel. Chanel was Paris. Even the airport was full of Chanel imagery. I was in heaven. I wanted it so badly that I begged my mom for a Chanel lipstick knowing that was the only thing I could get with lots of savings and perseverance. Looking back, I can’t believe I got one and feel bad for her that she had to deal with me wanting such frivolity. The lipstick, in essence, was half as much as my pointe shoes cost, about $45. A LOT. In any case, I got it and it changed my life for a bit. I felt I was holding on to a little piece of that dream. Why did that brand have such power over me, at 12?
Looking back, I can see how much Chanel continued to shape my style; blacks, whites, gold/black, silver/black, costume jewelry. quilted anything, camellias, chains interlaced with leather, lace, tweed, pearl accents, rich browns, the list goes on and on. Obviously, it’s influenced most of us!
Who was really behind the magic
I have sought out the origins of Chanel and have read biographies on Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, but of course early on I realized it was Karl Lagerfeld doing the magic. I didn’t think much of it, quirky little man for sure! As the years went on I would read some outlandish thing that he would say and it would always remind me of my artistic director from back home, Ingeborg Heuser. Also German, also prolific, also controversial. Akin to the work of some of the best choreographers I have seen (such as Heuser’s), Lagerfeld’s designs from year to year looked both consistent and entirely brand new. It’s as if there’s this invisible mark on the works or the clothes that says I am made by the same person, but not in the same state of mind.
In this little post I dedicate some of the looks that captured my pre-teen heart through now mama of 2, both women the same person but in a different state of mind as well. Note: I have leveraged these pictures from Pinterest and do not claim to own them. I don’t know whom to give credit to but if you own a picture on this post, please let me know so I can credit you. 🙂
The 90’s
2000
2001
2002
2003
Sunday best! A little Easter baskety but love the tweed and pearls.
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
THE CONTRADICTION
In some things I’ve read about Karl, the term contradiction came up. The quote above always makes me laugh. Particularly because I spend half the time in sweatpants, truly. Either I have an “outfit” or I absolutely do not have an outfit. So I guess, I too, am a contradiction. Thank you Karl Lagerfeld for creating magic, may you rest in peace. What was your first designer love? Any looks here that you love? XO, Z
I dedicate this post to my best friends that were there for that iconic lipstick trip: Sarah & Laura and of course my sister Marisol. Always my level of crazy.
Picture by Meghan Weber
Interested in other iconic fashion designers like Karl Lagerfeld? Click here to learn more about fashion designer Pamella Roland and here for designer Tadashi Shoji!