Chanel Spring/Summer 2011 RTW

Seeing as Karl Lagerfeld is a genius, I've decided to skip my reviews of Viktor & Rolf, Lanvin and Yves Saint Laurent for the time being in favour of taking a look at Chanel.  You know that even if the clothes aren't their best (rarely happens), at least the runway will take your breath away (no one will ever forget the iceberg).  And not to mention, you can always look forward to catching a glimpse of Baptiste Giabiconi: tall, dark and unbelievably handsome...;)

But tear your eyes away, because you won't want to miss what Chanel has done for Spring/Summer 2011.  Set in an elegant gray garden with a stunning fountain, the first half of the collection contrasted against the clean lines of runway.  Several pieces had a splatter of impulsive cut-outs:

Classic Chanel tweed for Spring had an almost unfinished quality, with its frayed ends and feathery edges.

As the show progressed, the colours began to mirror those of the garden, but the rugged quality remained throughout, occasionally popping up among the Chanel suits with shorts, floral chiffon dresses, and long A-line skirts.

And with that, the show ended in a flurry of feathers, again bringing back the unfinished look, but in a much more elegant way.

Despite being cut and frayed, one can still see the dedication, love and quality that goes into crafting each piece.  What makes Karl a genius is that no matter what kind of inspiration he takes for his collections, it always ends up looking distinctly and impeccably Chanel.

Watch Part 1 of the show here, and Part 2 here.

Image Source: Style.com