Ugh, what is it with Chanel this year? The brand has always been known for its uber-memorable ad campaigns but suddenly everything they produce is just… ugh (apologies, words fail me at this juncture!). First there was the Brad Pitt fiasco and now these spreads for Chanel Resort 2013, where Cara Delevingne is apparently channelling the opulence and sensuality of a “modern-day Marie Antoinette”.
Pardon me for maybe not being “high fashion” enough but there is none of the whimsical femininity that I associate with either Marie Antoinette or Karl Lagerfeld’s own vision of the French Revolutionary style, which he showcased to sheer perfection in to the gardens of Versailles a few months back. In fact, to me she looks like the big bad wolf dressed in Red Riding Hood’s grandmother’s clothing rather than one of the most romantic queens the world has ever seen.
Granted that one must be edgy to capture eyeballs during today’s tough times but does edgy have to mean ugly? Because thats what these images look like to me – nothing here evokes the blooming petticoats, resplendent fabrics and frilled corsets that make up the Resort collection. And absolutely none of the images put me in the mood to but any of the wares on offer. What about you? Do you also hate the campaign? Or do you think I am just an old fashioned fuddy duddy for not falling in love with it at first glance?
Chanel Resort 2013 presented at Versailles
