The pre-fall menswear collection by Chanel brought back and redefined one of America’s biggest motifs and trends: the country life. Inspired by cowboys, the designs created by Karl Lagerfeld reinterpreted the western world in a unique and modern manner.
His models walked down the runway wearing boots, fringe-adorned tops and knit wear. We could see a lot of historical cavalry references in the shape of strong lines and bold colors. Even though the color palette was quite narrow, the way in which it was used compensated for the lack of a wider color palette. The volumes of the clothes, the fancy diagonals, the carefully-crafted accessories and even the classic blue jeans made the collection speak about a whole world, the way Karl Lagerfeld sees it.
The barn-inspired catwalk on which the models walked was a nice touch, as it showed that a medium and a collection can go hand in hand and that clothes are not something that stand by themselves, they are connected to their inspiration, to a lifestyle and to people.
Besides from the great boots, we also loved the hats, the colorful scarves, the lapels and the cuffs of the clothes, which really made the collection complete and outstanding.
Pre-fall collections bridge the spring-summer and autumn-winter seasons, which makes them perfect for people who like their clothes balanced and quite versatile. Let’s have a look at some of what the Chanel pre-fall 2014 menswear collection has to offer.
This look is our favorite from the whole show, as the smooth jacket stands out through simplicity and details (the pockets, the shoulder straps, the belt) and is supported by amazing accessories, such as the boots and the hat.
A look for a colder day, this one stands out because of the fine stitching, the voluminous boots, the voluminous scarf and the thick fabric. It’s all about being bold and strong and this is something coherently expressed through fabric, shape and the way the clothes are worn: the shawl is in tandem with the other pieces through the way it is wrapped.
Probably the most casual look from the runway, this one stands out because of its amazing boots, paired with a great jacket. The jacket lapels, the cuffs, the boots and the bag, even though different one from one another, come from the same place and speak about the lifestyle of the modern cowboy.
Even though this look is quite bland, it still is a great look, as the fine details of the coat’s fabric are so deep and valuable that they don’t need any kind of support. What we can learn from here is that if you have a very strong piece, you don’t need to accessorize it, keeping the supporting actors in minimal is quite the best option; you should simply let it shine.
Taking a closer look at the designs, we can see that the attention did not focus only on jackets, coats, pants and hats, but also on the shirts. Their patterns look stunning and compose a sensitive color palette. It’s truly a masterful work how you can place color and patterns in an outfit without making it ostentatious.
Looking at the accessories, we can realize that it is very important that the things you carry with you should go well with your outfit.
To conclude, we can say that the country style is not a fad,but a motif that can be reinvented in an infinity of ways. It’s great how through fashion we can edit any type of world and how we can turn any idea or concept in a practical garment.
If you want to rock the western look, we recommend that you have at least two pieces to remind yourself of that concept. Wearing just one has the tendency to feel out of place while more than three looks like you are wearing a costume. The reason why this works on the runway is because fashion shows teach us style by exaggeration. So bring on the boots, the hat and the wristband and let’s ride into the sunset! Yeehaw!
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. What do you think of the collection? Do you like to wear cowboy clothes? Why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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