SEPARATED AT BRICKS - CHANEL & FENDI

FENDI - FALL 2010CHANEL - FALL 2010One is Italian, one is French.   Both are known for the strong women who shaped the collections.   Both have the same German in charge of design.   The designer houses of CHANEL and FENDI have shared the creative vision of Karl Lagerfeld for over 25 years.   For many the connection might not jump off the runway, but for those with a discriminating eye, the connection is apparent.   For instance, if Chanel is all about a wide belt this season - you can almost guarantee a wide belted midsection is going to be important at Fendi as well.   Fur trim at Fendi?  Then look for a furry runway at Chanel.  To say the relationship is symbiotic would be too much - but the connection is clear. 

CHANEL - FALL 2010FENDI - FALL 2010 Of course Chanel is the global giant of the two and has been able to create a demand for RTW that few houses will ever see.   While bags and shoes are much more commercial products, designer Ready-To-Wear remains the most challenging category that exists in the entire retail world.   For a woman to walk into a designer boutique and find an item on the rack that fits her well, flatters her figure, flatters her ego, and is in her budget - is no small feat to say the least.   My hats off to the collections that can please women season after season.

For  the Fall 2010 print campaigns, is karl giving Fendi the upper hand?    Karl shot both campaigns, and there seems to be a subliminal message here.  It looks like our Fendi girl is in her beautiful apartment, contemplating when her driver is picking her up to take her on a fabulous journey- while her Chanel friends are locked outside on the fire escape.   What's the message here?  What did the Chanel girls do to be locked out?   Or are the girls part of some high end cat burglar gang?