Fall 2009 Couture: Chanel

A gathering that included the likes of Joe Zee, Élodie Bouchez, Mario Testino and Patrick Demarchelier took place in Paris's Grand Palais. It was 9pm and the Chanel Haute Couture show was about to start.

A dramatic notion, to speak the truth. And Karl Lagerfeld managed the project just fine. Vive la couture! Vive la Karl! Et vive la Chanel!

The collection also included light, slightly more cheerful dresses in nude and dark blue in chiffon, along with ruffled trains. A coat, with a long train of course, along with a hat that acted as a soft veil visualized a chic horse rider.

Heavy embellishments and elaborate sleeves feminized the collection's evening wear era. A top (third from left) on which rich, gold, spiral embroideries were installed came with an equally heavily embroidered train. The collection's fabrics also included girly satins and silks.

Karl Lagerfeld played with proportions, this time around, showing short and long hemlines in one ensemble, on a runway that was as equally dramatic. Giant white N° 5 bottles added to the presentation's elaborateness. A noir color palette gave a Gothic impression.

With the mullet skirt and padded shoulders, it's obvious that the 80's had some sort of impact on Lagerfeld's inspiration. Lace tights, in black and matching lace-up shoe boots add to the collection's dark mystery.

Suits, like dresses, had a back train- but unlike the frocks, were shorter. A "dim" Chanel was introduced, with brown/bronze suits, also accompanied with those in a dusky violet and hot raspberry. Black lace tights joined the fest.

A bride glided down the black and white PVC catwalk, along with a white knight and an uber-ruffled-train, a cliched tradition in the world of couture.