SARAH JESSICA PARKER IN CHANEL RESORT 2011/12 - VOGUE MAGAZINE PH: MARIO TESTINOOne of the highlights of any luxury house of fashion is the yearly offering that they call "Resort" or "Cruise". These historically colorful collections hit the boutiques around the middle of October and are jam packed with collectible pieces that can punch up your wardrobe for years to come.
As recently as the late 80's there were just a few items in these holiday collections. Today however, the biggest names in fashion have turned a small concept into a full fledged runway show. Case in point - CHANEL RESORT 2011/12. Staged at the Hotel Du Cap - Eden Roc in Antibes, the collection was colorful, playful, and sexy. While designer Karl Lagerfeld is more comfortable with Baroque or Lady than he is with femme fatale or sexy, the proportions were sensual.
The very fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker showcased the best suit from the collection in the August issue of Vogue. Beautifully shot by Mario Testino, the fashion spread portrayed SJP's very busy and stylish life.
The yellow silk and wool tweed skirt suit is an homage to Coco Chanel herself. The original proportions that made her a legend in the 1920's are recreated here in 2011. Key details - fitted sleeve and high armhole jacket (one of Coco's secrets to a perfect fit), 4 buttons and a notched lapel that flatter the torso and bust, and skirt length. The skirt was one of Coco's most unique and stringent areas of control. Chanel said that knees were one of a woman's ugliest features and that skirts should always cover them! 
LESAGE EMBROIDERED CHANEL GOWN - ST. TROPEZ PH: JASON JOBSONInteresting to point out that it was vanity, not modesty that kept her skirt lengths a little longer. Pockets in skirts were also a signature Coco detail. Chanel believed that women's clothing should be just as practical and funtional as menswear.
A Chanel suit is one of the best investments any woman can make when growing her fashion wardrobe. Even a colorful look like this will be relevent for as long as you are wearing clothes!
As practical as a wool tweed suit is, Chanel also offers some of the most luxurious fashion items in the world. This Summer I visited their seasonal boutique in St. Tropez. (Afterall, when you rent a multi-million dollar Villa and spend a fortune designing it to be a boutique, you can hardly call it a "pop-up store").
Of all the beautiful items, one dress stood out. A long sheath completely hand embroidered by the House of Lesage was the most striking piece in the boutique. To look at a dress like this, and to know that the artisans at Lesage spent hours and hours and hours creating this floral landscape, makes it a true work of art. To think that the lace fabric was then sent back to the house of Chanel, where the artisans of the Atelier then spent many more hours - cutting, fitting, sewing, and finishing this beautiful dress. An item like this is one of kind - even if many are made, no two are alike, due to the hand finished nature of the piece. It is this type of Savoir Faire that is present in every item stamped with the word CHANEL.
Click any of the images above to view the latest Chanel RTW Collection. Bon Voyage!