Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld: In Every Woman’s Wish List
By Mari Davis

PARIS, Jan 21, 2004/ FW/ --- Every fashion season, be it haute couture or ready-to-wear, our offices in Dallas are inundated with phone calls from our Dallas subscribers asking when our review of the Chanel collection will be up.

Like most of the women in the world, the ladies of Dallas have a penchant for Chanel. And as every collection is shown, there is at least a dress or two that they want to add to their wardrobe.

We do not have any hard data or statistics for that. Yet, one only has to observe the brisk business that Chanel’s newly expanded and renovated boutique at Dallas’ exclusive Highland Park enjoys, that a Wall Street broker will agree that concrete numbers are not needed to prove this statement.

Every season, Karl Lagerfeld successfully interprets and reinterprets Mademoiselle’s work, adding innovations of his own, as he goes along the way.

Like this Spring 2004 haute couture collection, Lagerfeld used zippers instead of buttons as closure for the Chanel suit.

He matched a black tailored top with tiny collars with a layered skirt of black lace, reminiscent of a Spanish senorita. To add drama, a black hat was used as an accessory.

If I say that this is a great collection, I will be repeating myself again and again. There is not one Chanel collection that I did not like. Reason: I am like most women, too. There is always a dress or two that I would like to add my wardrobe.

And as each collection get rave reviews from the press and buyers, the executives at rue Cambon remain quiet. In fact, it is very seldom that they make public statements.

It seems that their mantra is “let the products (in this case the clothes) do the talking.” And because Chanel is still privately held up to now, Wall Street analysts really have no way of knowing or projecting what they are up to.

Perhaps, the powers-that-be at rue Cambon wants it that way, wielding their business and Madison Avenue savvy silently and behind the scenes.

I personally believe that they are not trying to be secretive. I believe that they just want to do their work without the klieg lights and scrutiny of either Wall Street or the press.

Whatever they are doing, they are good at it --- like expanding Chanel’s client base to include the younger set.

With the youngest of baby boomers reaching 40 this year, Chanel executives and Karl Lagerfeld have started to include the Gen X and Gen Y as part of their market base.

Like the Spring 2004 ready-to-wear collection, the Spring 2004 haute couture collection has pieces that a young debutante will want.

The silver and gray gown worn by Liya Kibede is a gown that an 18-24 year old will die for!

So, yesterday, at the Hotel de Bourbon Condé, as the audience gave a resounding applause to Karl Lagerfeld, the executives at rue Cambon are silent, like their wont.

When you are successful, you don’t need to announce it. The world already knows it, so why say the obvious, right?

No matter what, the powers-that-be at rue Cambon must be smiling right now because they know that they just got themselves another winner.

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld