flawless....

these photos by karl lagerfeld

how i love haute couture.

"Like the high-end art market, the high-end fashion market continues to remain afloat in difficult times. This week is Paris Fashion Week and as WWD reports couture, the very top of the fashion world, contains to see strong sales. The number of couture clothes available is very small and clothing is in the thousands of dollars per piece.

So far, the couture business for fashion houses like Giorgio Armani, Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix hasn't seen any fall off from the declining U.S. economy. The customers for couture exist at the very highest end of the economic spectrum and are often immune to even fairly dramatic economic shifts. Also new clients from Russia, the Middle East and Asia continue to provide a stream of new customers. 

Chanel reports that today's client wants a lot of attention and can be demanding. The Chanel team has flown around the world for fittings and presentations. It seems that today's couture houses have to work harder for their customers than ever before often because today's clients have increasingly busy schedules."

CHANEL... 

Karl Lagerfeld started in couture as an assistant, and eventually as a freelance designer. In 1964, he worked as a freelance designer for Chloe until 1983.        

In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld took over the House of Chanel as Artistic Director.

Coco's famous staircase that was in her home.

Paris store front.

House of Chanel,

upstairs is where Chanel's haute couture is made,

this was also Coco's first townhouse.

"This fashion shop rue Cambon in Paris was founded by Coco Chanel in 1915. It is not only the address for pret à porter, but next door is also haute couture and the former townhouse of Coco Chanel."

These pictures were taken while I was in Paris.

everyone in Chanel was very friendly.

One man unlocked the gates and let

me step inside the House of Chanel,
and former townhouse of Coco Chanel
to get

these quick pictures

of Coco and her famous staircase.

it really was an experience.