Chanel Cruise Collection 2010

Chanel Cruise 2010: Coco On The Lido

by Rie Cau posted on May 19, 2009

With his dramatic spectacular cruise show for 2010, it is clear that Karl Lagerfeld, the German head designer and creative director at Chanel, is declaring loud and clear: ”Recession? What‘s that?”

Stupendous extravaganza is no doubt in the blood of Mr. Lagerfeld‘s take on fashion, as he flies his crew all over the world for each of his tailor-made cruise presentations to be shown at culturally and contextually specific locations around the globe: first New York , Monte Carlo , Miami , Moscow and now, voila, Venice !

Set at one of the world‘s most charming, idyllic and poetic location of the Lido Beach in Venice , the show is clearly a take on all the excess and over-the-top gorgeousness in fashion‘s non-stop decadence, even when the world falls apart.

The show commenced two hours later than scheduled, as Kaiser Karl insisted that the show is to start at dusk, when the sunset accentuates the dichotomy of Lido‘s old world artistic style: a mix of utter romance under a dark mysterious force of unknown. As the sunrays glistens on the horizon of the water irradiating a natural iridescence, this namely becomes the ideal runway backdrop for Chanel ‘s effortlessly charismatic collection for 2010.

The show is naturally inspired by everything Venice is famous for and in particular Thomas Mann‘s novella Death in Venice and its 1971 film interpretation by Luchino Visconti. The story circles around an aged author‘s platonic obsession for a beautiful 13 year old boy, Tadzio.

With the story in mind, the show proceeded in similar stages as the development of Mann‘s masterpiece: an ominous prelude with a wave of mystical models dressed in pitch black capes, swimsuits and a matching wide-brimmed hat.

This is followed by the introduction of the supporting cast in the plot. Italian model Baptiste Giabiconi dressed in white mariner shorts and navy-stripped collar shirt as Tadzio, German Supermodel Tatjana Patitz dressed in a delicate white lace dress as his mother and Gwen Loos and Skye Stracke as his two sisters. Au contraire to the novella‘s description of the two sisters as almost nun-like with their plain appearance and dull expressions, the young Chanel models are helplessly striking in their Chanel sailor dresses, as they floated down the boardwalk runway angelically.

Thereafter, the runway show left the tragic plotline behind and took on a life of its own: an optimistic direction that manifestly displays Mr. Lagerfeld‘s aesthetics. Elegant day looks are inspired by the tranquillising sea breeze and Venetian high-societies in the thirties. Models, consequently, walked down the runway with thirties inspired dome-shaped shingle bob wigs and black liquid smokey eyes – a look, which evokes the style of icons from that particular era: Peggy Guggenheim , Marchesa Casati , the fictional character of Daisy Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s The Great Gatsby and above all, Chanel ‘s eponymous founder Coco Chanel.

Navy stripes are no doubt a predominant theme for this cruise collection with both vertical and horizontal stripes crafting sleek elegant looks in all possible ways.

Venetian influences also make a subtle turn: Fortuny‘s prints add a sense of geometry to the entire collection; while chiaroscuro technique , which involves the use of light and shade in visual representations, adds an eccentric twist to Chanel ‘s iconic black and white logo; while rich red fabrics à la Renaissance vivifies Chanel ‘s characteristic monochromatic runway. The golden lion motif of Venice‘s city flag also made an appearance on whimsical chiffon dresses – a look, which displays a distinct contrast of fierce masculinity and finesse femininity.

In terms of evening gown, fluid free-flowing dresses decorated with simple but dazzling Venetian jewels are at large. Mr. Lagerfeld offers a range of short and long dresses in a lavish range of fabrics: chiffon, silk and lace.

The show closed with Estonian model Karmen Pedaru in a meter-high flaming red wig and a gorgeous gold-lamé dress in alabaster that shimmers and glistens so lustrously under the twilight.

As Olivia Magnani , the granddaughter of the iconic Italian actress Anna Magnani, says, ”It was very magical!”