Coco Chanel short Fashion Films

CHANEL

While on the train home and rather bored I started youtubing videos and I wanted to watch the  CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want - The Film because it is too die for and I can't stop watching it and listening to the slow version of you're the one that I want by Lo-Fang. While on youtube I am subscribed to Chanels channel and started looking for other short films by Chanel. In our lecture with Kat she had already showed us Chanel N°5 The one that I want with Gisele Bundchen, Coco Mademoiselle: The Film - CHANEL with Kiera Knightly and Le Film - Chanel N°5 with Nicole Kidman from Burlesque. I then decided to search Chanel's Youtube page and see what other short films I could find either based on Coco Chanel or the brand itself and its fashion history. Below I have linked the four short films I watched all of them were amazing, so interesting and really gave a an idea of the brand itself and its history and also telling a story created by Karl Lagerfeld featuring super models and singers in his short films. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPNIaWc3Slo

This short film by Karl Lagerfeld which is called 'the return' is based on Coco Chanel life with her incredible brand. In December 1953, Coco Chanel began her incredible return to center stage. The designer reopens her Haute Couture house after fifteen years of absence. The collection is welcomed by the French press with an icy silence. Only the American media supports the looks that define the rebirth of Chanel's style. "The Return" retraces this determining period, that shaped the legend of the designer of rue Cambon forever. "The Return," imagined, written and directed by Karl Lagerfeld, features Geraldine Chaplin in the role of Gabrielle Chanel, Rupert Everett, Anna Mouglalis, Lady Amanda Harlech, Arielle Dombasle, Kati Nescher, Vincent Darré and Sam McKnight. After the opening of her line the audience wasn't too pleased however Chanel new she could make it and people would love it, after the recreation of the line it was highly praised and everyone loved it. It is so fascinating watching the history of Coco Chanel and how she build herself up and even after a 15 year absence she came back with glory and was adored. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o9dTCl0hkY

The next short film I was was called 'once upon a time' by Karl Lagerfeld. It was set in Deauville 1913 when Chanel first opened her hat boutique. It was a brand new shop and the hats were out there and unique so was turned down by many because they did not understand fashion. The shop was called Gabrielle Chanel which is Coco Chanels real name before it changed and people claimed she has no tastes. Gabrielle was played by the lovely British actress Kiera Knightly. Chanel was trying to draw the attention of women who had style and elegance to wear her to be designer hats. Chanel had a certain taste and knew what she liked and what customers to attract. Once upon a time shows the build up of her Hat boutique and how she started with a empty shop and soon she was being sold out and everyone was trying to get hold of one of Chanels hats. She knew the clients she wanted she knew he style and look so she stayed strong to being unique at the time and eventually she opened more bigger stores. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_rl2fAyy4

This short film isn't about Chanels life or history however contains elements of Chanel in the film. It's called 'The tale of a fairy' by Karl Lagerfeld and starts with her sister coming to stay at her house when she is unwelcomed for a lengthened stay. The will is divided so the house is partly Lily's however she doesn't seem to have ever looked after it or taken an responsibility. The film has a lot of drama and interesting scene between characters and the life of a wealthy women however as it is called 'The tail of a fairy' a girl appears who is quite petite and masculine however is sometimes there and sometimes not. When she appears the film turns into black and white which I assume is not reality and it switched between and dream and not. I really enjoyed watching it as it was very interesting but I got a little lost with what was reality and who was who.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO4-TV6Zckc

The last film I watched starred Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams and is called 'reincarnation'. Cara serves as a waitress in a hotel/resturant and Pharrell serves as a elevator waiter. Chanel who leaves her table and collects her key number 5 and goes up to her room where the elevator waiter lets hers in to go up. It suddenly goes all dark as its the evening and everyone is in there rooms the clocks hits midnight and Cara and Pharrell come out both of the paintings where they meet for a dance and Pharrell and Cara sing. The morning comes and everyone is cleaning the lobby area and the paintings when Chanel comes out of the lift and asks the elevator man where he got his jacket from and he replies "They only made it for me" and Chanel responds with "Well I am going to make it for me". “Reincarnation” is the new short film created and directed by Karl Lagerfeld to accompany the CHANEL Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d'art collection shown on December 2nd, 2014 in Salzburg. This new short film was the perfect opportunity for Karl Lagerfeld to develop an artistic collaboration with Pharrell Williams, a close friend of the House and personal friend of the designer. In fact, the artist composed and wrote the lyrics to "CC The World," the original soundtrack for Reincarnation, and he also plays one of the lead roles and will be, along with Cara Delevingne, the face of the upcoming campaign of the Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 Métiers d'art collection.

Watching these short fashion films including the ones on the life of Chanel and her history it really gives you and insight to the brand and how it was built up over the decades to what it is now today. I think the most interesting one to watch which  really enjoyed was 'The return' and 'Once upon a time' as its interesting watching her life and the success of the brand starting with a Hat shop and then her return after her absence and creating a new line that everyone will adore. I love fashion so watching these short films on Chanel success and the progression of her collection and fragrances really interests me.