Sometimes I just don’t get it.
This Chanel jacket arrived this past week, forwarded by one of my favorite personal shoppers. The jacket fits me beautifully, but I don’t like it.
Why?
Well, it looks like a muslin, like something I just slapped together to get the fit right.
It is not a muslin. It is actually beautifully finished, beautifully and meticulously constructed to look just like it was slapped together.
I understand about deconstruction from a purely intellectual standpoint. I understand about exposed seams and ravelling and fringes and so forth. But I can’t help myself. I still fail to see why someone would spend $4,000 on a Chanel jacket that looks like something their dressmaker just slapped together in a few hours.
I suppose, if I were the person who purchased this, (it is on sale now for about $1700) I would appreciate how beautifully it was made and get a little thrill out of the fact that it is such a meticulous piece of work even while everyone who saw me thought I was wearing some falling apart jacket that I didn’t bother finishing.
But I am not that person. And although I don’t have trouble with the idea of people buying expensive clothes or investing in them to the best of my ability, I don’t really get this "expensive run down" look. Perhaps I don’t have enough money to appreciate the irony.
Later in the week, I got another Chanel jacket. This one is from the fall line and it is much more traditional. I like it much better. It is also cheaper, retailing for around $2700. I am still not buying it, and it doesn’t fit me well — it fits through the shoulders and needs serious shaping below the bust. I would enjoy making something like it however, and I have the perfect fabric in mind.
Why is it cheaper even though it is wool? Well it is much more traditionally made. This jacket looks more like a finished jacket but it took less time to finish it properly. There was a lot of work that went into making that other jacket look like it was unfinished.
Here is a peak of a detail from the original.
For more you will have to seek out your nearest Neiman Marcus or Chanel boutique. Or wait to see if I ever do anything further with the ideas this jacket has inspired.
Comments
16 responses to “I just don’t get it”
You’re not the only one who doesn’t get it. It really does look like something that would be hanging on my dress form waiting to be completed.
Not that I’m completely against deconstruction, but I like the type that looks like a garment that has been worn down (or distressed) instead of left unfinished. I know that seems odd, but there you go.
You’re not the only one who doesn’t get it. It really does look like something that would be hanging on my dress form waiting to be completed.
Not that I’m completely against deconstruction, but I like the type that looks like a garment that has been worn down (or distressed) instead of left unfinished. I know that seems odd, but there you go.
I kinda like the raw-edged look, but I sure wouldn’t spend that much $$ on it – or anything, really.
I kinda like the raw-edged look, but I sure wouldn’t spend that much $$ on it – or anything, really.
I cannot imagine how much money it would take to make me appreciate such irony. I don’t understand it either.
I cannot imagine how much money it would take to make me appreciate such irony. I don’t understand it either.
Wow…..I have no words for that. I don’t get it either!
Wow…..I have no words for that. I don’t get it either!
I thought the unfinished look was “finished”. Or at least over for the likes of Chanel. Wrong again, I guess, but I’m with you on not caring for it. I’ll be waiting to see what you do with the ideas you’ve gleaned from the second one, though.
I thought the unfinished look was “finished”. Or at least over for the likes of Chanel. Wrong again, I guess, but I’m with you on not caring for it. I’ll be waiting to see what you do with the ideas you’ve gleaned from the second one, though.
I’ll join Liana in stating that I thought the deconstructed look is something we were done with, except at the lowest level of the marketing chain. I also thought we were done with assymetrical hemlines but looking at the latest offerings from Burda I guess I was wrong there too.
Personally, I’ll be Glad when we are done, with both looks.
Going through my fabrics today I found two more pieces I want Chanel jackets from – want to join me in making one? One that IS finished properly?
I’ll join Liana in stating that I thought the deconstructed look is something we were done with, except at the lowest level of the marketing chain. I also thought we were done with assymetrical hemlines but looking at the latest offerings from Burda I guess I was wrong there too.
Personally, I’ll be Glad when we are done, with both looks.
Going through my fabrics today I found two more pieces I want Chanel jackets from – want to join me in making one? One that IS finished properly?
I don’t understand why anyone would pay that kind of money for something that looks like it’s falling apart. I’m not into artificially faded denim, or asymmetrical hemlines, either. I guess I’m just not “hip” enough for high fashion! 😉
I don’t understand why anyone would pay that kind of money for something that looks like it’s falling apart. I’m not into artificially faded denim, or asymmetrical hemlines, either. I guess I’m just not “hip” enough for high fashion! 😉
It’s frightful that something so unfinished looking is so expensive! I am in agreement with you Mardel. However, I do like the look of asymmetrical hemlines, I have always found them interesting and fun to wear.
It’s frightful that something so unfinished looking is so expensive! I am in agreement with you Mardel. However, I do like the look of asymmetrical hemlines, I have always found them interesting and fun to wear.