Chanel
Chanel Fall 2008 – Gold Fiction & Company
Goldfinger.
He’s the man, the man with the midas touch.
A spider’s touch.
Such a cold finger.
Beckons you to enter his web of sin
But don’t go in.
Golden words he will pour in your ear,
But his lies can’t disguise what you fear,
For a golden girl knows when he’s kissed her,
It’s the kiss of death from
Mister Goldfinger.
Pretty girl beware of this heart of gold
This heart is cold.
Goldfinger Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
For Fall 2008 CHANEL Makeup’s Global Creative Director, Peter Philips, took his inspiration from Coco Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon. A collection that includes rich berries and luxurious golds, the most buzzed about product is the Facettes D’or Nail Colour in Gold Fiction. Though it’s not the color itself that is causing jaws to flap, it’s the $30 price tag.
Chanel attributes the higher cost to the ingredients and from what I can tell Silica and Tin Oxide are the only ingredients that aren’t found in other Chanel nail polishes I own. While I am unsure about the cost of silica, I do know that tin oxide is rather expensive and is likely the cause of the price increase.
Gold Fiction is pure molten 24 karat bars for your nails. It’s one of the truest gold shades I’ve seen, not dirty or too yellow. The application is flawless and in spite of its metallic appearance, brush strokes are minimal if at all visible. The opaque bottle will protect light from damaging the pigments but prevent you from knowing how much is left. 
Gold Fiction may be the color everyone is dying to see but Kaleidoscope gets my vote for best of the collection. I LOVE this shade more than my luggage. The name is so apropos for this chameleon-eque sparkler. Described as a green-gold this shade ranges from pewter to antique gold depending on the light but the shimmer is what really makes this one unique. It’s as if a layer of superfine pixie dust covers each nail, similar to the glitz of Flamingo but even more dazzling. Two coats to perfection and no brush marks. Honestly, I can’t rave enough about this one and I’m so not into golds.
I wish I could give Fantastic the same praise but there just isn’t anything standout about this deep wine shade. It’s a pretty polish with subtle tonal shimmer that flows smoothly on the nail. And with the gold and berry trend seeming apparent for Fall, I’m sure this will fit right in.
OK so I know the comments are coming. The raves for the colors but complaints about price and while I would love to debate this, I’m standing back and letting all of you battle it out. Let’s face it, with the press Gold Fiction is getting, the Chanel label, limited edition status and stunning color, this baby will sell out. So you can either jump on the bandwagon or wave as it goes by (your wallet intact).
The Fall 2008 Makeup Collection including Gold Fiction ($30), Kaleidoscope ($20) & Fantastic ($20) will be on counter and available at Chanel.com in July.
So I’ll leave you with a little Shirley Bassey. Even though there are a few of her Goldfinger performances floating around, I love her appearance on The Muppet Show best. Everything is better with Muppets.
Chanel Robertson Boulevard Nail Colour Collection
When I was in LA last month, I desperately wanted to stop by the new Chanel boutique on Robertson Boulevard but time wasn’t on my side. The reason for my desperation… the Robertson Boulevard limited edition Nail Colour Collection. Sold exclusively at the Robertson boutique from now until the online launch in July, this collection was created by Peter Philips, the new Global Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup.
Based on the bold pop art imagery, I wasn’t expecting the slight softness I saw in the shades I tested. It’s this quality that makes them very wearable, even for Chanel’s more conservative clientele. As expected, the lacquers applied flawlessly and with excellent pigmentation, I barely needed two coats to reach bottle color. At $25 a bottle, they better.
Rodeo Drive is a warm grapey purple with subtle silver shimmer. In the sun it reminds me of the cartoon character Grape Ape. Of all the polishes in this collection, Rodeo Drive was the one I most looked forward to seeing so I’m glad it lived up to my expectations.
L.A. Sunset is a creamy melon orange with a high gloss factor. I wouldn’t classify it as a bright per se but it’s definitely bold and summery. A perfect pedicure shade.
With the popularity of yellow polish this season it’s no surprise to see one included in this collection. However, I was surprised at how sweet and sexy L.A. Sunrise looked on Selma Blair’s tips in InStyle‘s June edition. No mustard or neon here, just a gorgeous lemon sorbet. I plan to order it the day of the online release.
Melrose, L.A. Sunrise, L.A. Sunset and Rodeo Drive will be available for purchase exclusively on Chanel.com in July. You can sign up on the CHANEL site to be notified of their release.
Chanel Preview – Robertson Boulevard Collection
Just when I thought summer bright streak was slowing down, I catch wind of this. Chanel, in celebration of their new boutique on Robertson Boulevard in LA, is releasing a set of four limited edition polishes designed by Peter Philips.
MELROSE – A fun, hot pink destined to become spring’s must-have pedicure
SUNRISE – A primary yellow as bright and cheerful as its name
L.A. SUNSET – A warm tangerine — just the thing for an afternoon shopping splurge
RODEO DRIVE – A purple splash: girl power meets the power lunch L.A.
Is Chanel going pop art on us? I have to say that just seeing the product image has me excited. Such a bold nail color statement seems out of character for the brand but I’m loving it. Who would have thought that such crazy shades would make it to high end chic? Maybe it means I’ll stop getting stares or comments when I have bright green or yellow on my tips.
The lacquers will be available exclusively in-store at the Robertson Boulevard Chanel Boutique beginning May 30th and on Chanel.com in July 2008. Price: $25.00
Chanel Fall Sneek Peek
The big beauty story in today’s Women’s Wear Daily is about Chanel’s fall collection. It’s the first collection for the new creative director of makeup Peter Philips and he’s taking Chanel GOLD!
The collection’s nail colour, Gold Fiction, will be quite a departure from what we’ve been seeing from Chanel. There’s no “satin” in the name, the packaging will be opaque and the price tag has significantly incresed; $30! No that’s not a misprint, the lacquer will retail for $30 due to the high-end pigments used to create the shade and the opaque gold case.
Christine Dagousset executive vice president of Fragrance and Beauté for Chanel describes Gold Fiction as “…a soft honey gold, not a sparkling bright gold. It’s very wearable and very modern.”
What do you think? Is Gold the next big nail polish color? What about the hefty price tag? Justified? Too high?
Chanel Summer 2008
This summer, go on safari with Chanel. Khaki gets an upscale makeover in this collection inspired by the hues of the Serengeti. As one of the few high end beauty brands to acknowledge the importance of incorporating nails into an overall look, the line includes nail polish shades for both the warm and cool toned.
I tested both lacquers with three very thin coats and found that they applied smoothly with adequate pigmentation.
Straight up, I flipped for Flamingo. I think my pal Nikki’s undying love for all things pink is starting to rub off on me because I felt a bit giddy just applying the shade. I haven’t been feeling pink polishes much for the past year or so but this one really got to me.
In person this bubblegum girly confection has a sparkly finish that leaves one word swirling through my head, “encrusted.” It’s like there is a layer of silver and pink micro-gems sprinkled atop my nails. In all honesty, I just couldn’t capture Flamingo’s magic in an image so I dare you to test this at a Chanel counter and leave empty handed. For pink girls, it won’t be easy.
Oh how I wish I could gush over Antilope but it’s just not a winner for me. I know it has its fans, including The Daily Obsession, I’m just not one of them. While it has some of the same sparkle as Flamingo, Antilope has a metallic finish that causes brush strokes I just can’t overlook. To quote Cher from Clueless the finish is, “a full-on Monet. From far away, it’s OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess.” To be fair, the golden beige shade is chic and wearable and I know my mother will LOVE taking it off my hands.
Chanel’s Summer 2008 Collection is on counters now and available online at Macys.com and Nordstrom.com
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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