Karl Lagerfeld is a genius. That’s almost all I can say about the Chanel show he put on yesterday. Everything outside of the clothes—the set of mile-high windmills with a solar-paneled runway, the models, the soundtrack—came together to serve as the perfect backdrop for Karl’s tour de force. It was evidence of Karl’s ability to, as my mother says, “ make like Frank Sinatra and turn it out time, after time, after time.”

What makes Karl so good is his ability to stay true to the Chanel brand while playing with it, almost poking fun at how revered it is. For example, he took the iconic quilted bag and injected it with style steroids, blowing it up to a hula hoop size accessory (that I cannot wait to see on for sale up on Designer Social eventually; fingers crossed!). He also played with the traditional tweed, using large sleeves and fringe to make the formal material looser and more playful.

The above are my four favorite looks from the show. It was hard to narrow it down, given that Karl sent 80 down the runway, but I think these were the standouts. The white jacket look is supremely wearable; I’d pair it with jeans and heels for a night out (and with the fabulous necklaces and bracelets from the show, if I could get my paws on them). The green jacket looks like something from an Audrey Hepburn film—ladylike, adorable, and perfectly cut (duh). The floral dresses Karl sent out at the end had me swooning…they were simply gorgeous, allowing the print to take center stage while not overpowering the model.

And that hula-hoop bag…I’m sorry, but how could it not make my favorites? It’s wild, it’s bold, it’s funny, it’s totally killer.

So bravo, Karl. You’ve kept the Chanel standard as high as ever. While sending out an eco-friendly message at the same time. I dig it.

-CW

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