Opulence Never Dies

While the rest of us are counting our pennies, and wondering about re-gifting that sweater grandma knit you last year, Karl Lagerfeld is doing what he does best, namely, creating fantasy. At his Chanel Metiers d'Art presentation in Paris Wednesday evening, he showed not only a collection full of gorgeous, over-the-top gowns and suits taken from the traditional designs of Imperial Russia, but also a short film inspired by Gabrielle Chanel's early years as well. As Marianne Faithful, a guest at the presentation, put it, "Oh, he can do anything." And it certainly does seem that way.

One has to wonder though if such overblown luxury has a place in the world of fashion today (outside Haute Couture of course, but that's another animal). As Lagerfeld put it, "These dresses come out in six or seven months from now, and the world may have changed by then,". True, but will the world have changed enough for the high-end market? Chanel may never go on sale, but when even Ralph Lauren is quietly discounting items, how safe is anyone from the economic beast? Regardless, at its very core, fashion is about make believe, and few designers weave such sartorial dreams as Lagerfeld.    WWD