Chanel Paris Shanghai Prefall 2010

Duchess: Before the war, I was only dressed in Mainbocher and Schiaparelli.
Chanel: How Difficult

Those kind of women are very dangerous

A swoonworthy few minutes with feathers, beads and buttons.

I love the sound of the needle piecing the fabric!

And if we really want to be vicious, which we do...

Chanel Tour Part VIII: Stags


Chanel surrounded herself with art that reflected her personality. There were many lions, camellias, ornate mirrors and crystal balls.
I also spotted several pairs of deer littered throughout the apartment.
Deer often symbolize independence and pride.

Chanel's apartment is often the source for inspiration for everything from the fall collections, new fragrances, commercials and the actual interiors of the boutiques.

From Vogue:
Inside the store(Hong Kong), which is inspired by Mademoiselle's Paris apartment, the collection of specially-commissioned pieces includes a endearing cast bronze doe sculpted by Francois- Xavier Lalanne, a 32-meter three-storey strand of Murano glass pearls by Jean-Michel Othoniel (which weighs 500 kilos and necessited a reinforcement of the supporting structure of the building), a huge, but delicate Conte-crayon Camellia drawing by Joseph Stashkevetch, and a diamond-dust portrait of Chanel by Vik Muniz, all from the outside too.
http://www.vogue.co.uk/vogue_daily/story/story.asp?stid=31266

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman and Vogue.co.uk
Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel.

Chanel Tour Part VII

This exquisite tiny birdcage from Chanel's apartment so inspired director Jean-Paul Goude that he created the very memorable Coco commercial with Vanessa Paradis. In the commercial Vanessa is perched on a swing inside a birdcage while a hungry kitty cat looks on.

I always thought it was a more glamorous version of Sylvester and Tweety Bird. You almost expect to see Chanel come into the frame with a broom to chase the cat away.




Credits: Blogdorf Goodman and Youtube
Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel.

Blogdorf Goodman's Chanel Tour Part VI

One of the most magnificent items in Chanel's apartment was her custom made chandelier in the sitting room. It was loaded with stunning rock crystals and detailed iron work. If you look closely, you will spot the infamous interlocking C's, the number 5 and the letter G.

I loved how she managed to monogram a chandelier.
She really took everything to a tasteful extreme.

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel.

Coco Mademoiselle Commercial

Chanel Tour Part 2



There were many moments that impressed me during this trip. The one that stands out is the incredible dedication of the Chanel staff to preserving the vision of Mademoiselle Chanel.
Every detail from the choice of perfume bottles to the commercials have been inspired by the loves and tastes of Chanel. She passed 30 years ago but she is still directing the path of her beloved company.

Every director, photographer, set designer and muse are brought to the apartments for inspiration. Jean-Paul Goude was inspired by a tiny gilded birdcage on an end table. He used this piece to inspire his famous Coco commercial with Vanessa Paradis swinging in a life sized birdcage.

The latest director to collaborate with Chanel is Joe Wright. Mr Wright directed Pride and Prejudice. This film captured the attention of Chanel's artistic director, Jacques Helleu.
Mr Helleu quickly fell in love with the look of this movie that he immediately hired the director, the actress, the cinematographer and the crew responsible for the set design.

This team was also inspired by the apartments of Mademoiselle Chanel. Throughout the 60 second commercial you will spot glimpses of coramandel walls, chandeliers,jewelry, crystals, camellias, mirrors and the Place Vendome.

The short film was shot over 5 days in the Bry-Sur-Marne studios. Keira Knightley portrays a modern day version of Coco Chanel. The commercial opens with Keira skipping down the fire escape stairs wearing just a men's shirt with a bowler hat. The background view was actually inspired by the breathtaking views from the rooftop over the Chanel workrooms.

There are three versions of the commercial. The 60" version is a personal favorite of Jaques Helleu. The 45" version gives the viewer a lingering shot of Miss Knightley's Black Satin nails. These spots are scheduled to debut Sept. 24 through Oct. 7.

Photos: Blogdorf Goodman and KeiraKnightley.com

Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel.

Tour of the Chanel Apartments

The 17th century coromandel screens that have inspired Chanel gowns, countless makeup palettes and the beautiful Coromandel fragrance from the Les Exclusifs collection.

The screens feature her favorite flower, the camellia. This flower figures prominently throughout Chanel designs.




In the new Coco Mademoiselle commercial, the set designers recreated the coromandel screens. These screens feature hand painted butterflies and huge peonies. Make sure you keep an eye out for them. The glimpse is quick.

The sets were created by the team responsible for the look and feel of the movie Pride and Prejudice. Sarah Greenwood created lush surroundings that were inspired by Chanel's apartment. Everything from the mirrored staircase to the crystal balls were meticulously copied for the commercial. This commercial is a feast for the eyes and the perfume is a feast for the nose.

Watch this brief glimpse into the making of the commercial. You will spot Keira strolling around the Chanel apartment, looking through scrapbooks and trying on jewelry.
I was very blessed to do these exact things while in Paris. I was able to leaf through the scrapbook, photograph the apartment and watch my fellow blogger, Seth from Cool Hunting put a priceless diamond necklace on his head.
http://coolhunting.com/

Photos: Blogdorf Goodman and Youtube

Disclosure: This Paris trip was made possible by Chanel