Chanel Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2010-2011

Under the ornate glass ceiling of Paris' Grand Palais, the iceberg of last March made way for a gigantic golden lion in the place of honor. The lion watched over the Chanel haute couture collection, whose play on proportions was somewhat disconcerting.

On the catwalk, the virginal summer suggested by Chanel's last couture opus was replaced by a much darker atmosphere. Accustomed to having visions of his collections come to him in his dreams, Karl Lagerfeld jokingly revealed that this one appeared to him in the form of a nightmare.

It is true that this season, lightness is not apropos. Tweeds and velvets enveloped silhouettes whose volumes were less than evident, all of it in dark and melancholic tones from brown to camel to Bordeaux to navy blue.

In addition, there was no uniformity on lengths. Lagerfeld audaciously imposed an architectural vision onto the Chanel standard where rounded shoulders, cropped volumes, 3/4 sleeves and calf-lengths, leaving those accustomed to a more obvious aesthetic looking for help.

Following the central theme of the collection, the little Chanel suit was redone and corrected, mixing medium length skirts and micro jackets. This was followed by ensembles in tweed with fur trim, giving an elegant Soviet look, then by multiple pieces with sloping shoulders ending in bouffant sleeves that were sometimes chic, sometimes overdone.

Then the silhouettes slimmed down and the neo-volumes became harmonious, giving birth to compositions that were agreeably très Chanel. The simplicity of the high-waisted skirts with cropped tops chiseled an allure that was simultaneously classic and modern.

As for the second part of the show, the eveningwear reminded us of how many pairs of hands work in the Chanel studios weaving dreams. Pearly ensembles covered in bead-work, embroidered wool and needlework, recalling the overloaded baroque allure so dear to the Eastern European countries, resulted in highly contrasted looks incorporating transparencies and ornamentation.

Lagerfeld goes as far as to confer an almost sexy touch to the severe volumes that made up the central theme of his collection, temporizing their sensible appearance with a touch of lace and other chiffons.

If the sensation emanating from this haute couture presentation was one of a somewhat laborious rigor, the undone hair styles and the simple red lipstick on the models mouths succeeded in bringing to it the breath of freshness necessary to save it.

Click here to view the entire collection: http://www.style.com/F2010CTR-CHANEL