Channelling Chanel

Kaia Gerber embraces the essence of Chanel through Karl Lagerfeld’s lens, as the French maison brings forth yet another cult-worthy collection of handbags.

- Rachel Ng

WHILE MADEMOISELLE Chanel would agree with the first definition of an accessory by Merriam-Webster, she surely would have been more than a little miffed by the second. Chanel is all about the accessory, after all. The slight addition to an outfit that catches the eye and gives it depth, the accessory is not secondary or of lesser importance; indeed it should be a main player in the ball court of fashion.

Gabrielle Chanel had the right idea when in 1926 she decided to eschew dressing her women in bold and gaudy looks, but instead turned to black as a blank canvas on which she explored the many possibilities of accessorising. The millinery trained Chanel was so adept at it that she was described as “The genius of accessories” by the Princess Bibesco herself in her piece Noblesse de Robe, which detailed how a scarf or wristlet added the final touch—bestowing any outfit immediately with finesse.