I can't believe I just realized that Chanel.com has a fantastic news section filled with photos and brand history. The $2000 handbag price point kind of deters my time spent browsing, but now that I've discovered this eye candy, I have a valid excuse to go virtual window-shopping.The site offers tons of gorgeous fashion photography, truly inspired set design and a look inside the inspirations of everyone's favorite eccentric Crazy Uncle Karl. Below I've included some site highlights, and if you're not already, please follow Mr. Lagerfeld on Twitter. He rarely updates, but when he does I promise you -- it will either be hilarious or completely freaking brilliant. Some examples:
"I think I'm going to have a dinner party where no one speaks. I'll give all my guests pens and pads instead of the usual dinner conversation."
"Logos and branding are so important. In a big part of the world, people cannot read French or English--but are great in remembering signs."
"Success nullifies. You then have to do it again, preferably differently."
"Sometimes it’s easy to have ideas, but somebody has to find a way to do it. Often those responsible for finding a way don’t have the idea."
"My dream? Transparent fur. The hair on plastic and not on leather. We’ve tried, but nobody has found it yet." (ed note: Ummm, WHAT?)
(Rugen, an island in the Baltic Sea, shot for German Vogue)
(For the Cruise 2009/10 collection, Lagerfeld was inspired by the Venetian society of the 1930s and the aesthetics of Visconti's legendary film "Death in Venice")
(2009 Spring/Summer)
(Actress Diane Kruger in Paris, Shoot for German Amica)
(Chanel 2009 Spring/Summer Haute Couture: Underneath a glass roof, the Cambon-Capucines pavilion was meant to look like a pop-up book. The grandiose decor was made up of monochrome arrangements of roses, daisies, leaves and petals winding their way up and around the room's 32 columns and draped over the railings of the entry stairway where the models appeared. The floral "sculptures" were devoid of color to reflect the preferences of Coco Chanel. She once said, "Women think about all colors except the absence of color. For me black has everything. So does white. They are absolute beauty. They are the perfect match. Dress a woman in black or in white at a ball, and all eyes will be upon her.")