Looking at this image you could be forgiven for wondering what it is advertising! Obviously Pearls! No you are wrong I'm afraid, it is the Spring Summer 2012 Fashion brand campaign for Chanel. Photographed by the great man himself Creative Director extraordinaire Karl Lagerfeld! who has the uncanny knack of being canny! Here we have an image of a woman in a snorkling mask mimicking a burka - where do you think a large number of couture clients reside - ? Chanel is the epitome of Luxury - yet unless you are in China or India it is not deriguer to show your wealth at the mo with the current pathological hatred of bonus culture.
Here we have an image in black and white - seemingly ordinary until you see the booty she has scooped up from the deep. There is a reference here to the iconic 1956 film 'And God Created Woman' directed by Roger Vadim premiering and staring Brigit Bardot. It was filmed in Saint Tropez on a beach that Karl Lagerfeld knows well as he has had his holiday home there for many years. The shot was probably taken in a studio and then digitally enhanced being placed infront of a sea image. This photograph stood out from all the other high end luxury brand advertising we reviewed in Week 2 of my 'Art Direction for Fashion' class in February. My class of 17 students is made up of an international demographic, The UK, USA, Spain, South America, Japan, China, Germany, Australia, South Africa, France, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine, India, Middle East, and Italy so the view point is worth noting.
The Chanel woman looking confidently straight into camera with a glamourous simplicity makes this image a winner for most markets.
Chanel is an independent label as yet not swallowed up by LVMH or PPR and long may it remain so. Karl Lagerfeld is not to be underestimated.
