I’m in Paris today, so it’s only fitting that I heard the news that Vanessa Paradis, French model and partner to Johnny Depp, has been named the face of Chanel lipstick.

Vanessa has a long-standing relationship with the house, having first appeared in Coco ads in 1992; eleven years later, she was the Karl Lagerfeld’s muse for Cambon handbags and in 2010, she’ll be the face of Rouge Coco de Chanel lipstick.
What I adore about Chanel’s choice and Vanessa Paradis herself is how unequivocally FRENCH she is.  She’s not perfect (French beauty never is), but she’s phenomenally sexy and carries herself …read more

Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, has pulled together a surprising palette with this fall’s Jade Nail Collection. It’s comprised of  two limited edition nail enamels – “Jade” and “Jade Rose” – that debuted during the Ready-to-Wear Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 runway show. These mineral-inspired shades recall the jade jewelry and the pink knit and pistachio tweed of the collection.

“For the nails, Karl (Lagerfeld, Chanel’s designer) wanted a green shade to evoke the jade notes of the collection. I worked with our laboratories to offer him a monochromatic palette of 10 green shades. We chose the color that most resembled …read more

For the Tokyo premiere of G.I. Joe (this movie is a mystery to me, where’s all the promotion?!), gorgeous Brit Sienna Miller wore a Gucci suit.
Her hair was pulled into a chic, modern chignon ponytail and makeup artist Kate Lee for Chanel took inspiration from model/rock star wife Jerry Hall and the images of legendary photographer Helmut Newton to create the face. Kate says:
I began by gently smoking out the eye with a mid grey matte shadow. Inside the eye I used Chanel Intense Eye Pencil in Graphite to add intensity, and the silvery grey reflects the light. I wanted to balance the look without conflicting …read more

As a city built on water, Venice was a source of great intrigue for the legendary Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. She saw the city as simultaneously dramatic and fragile – qualities she herself possessed.
In honor of Coco Chanel’s affection for the city, Peter Philips, Global Creative Director for Chanel Makeup, took inspiration from the city of Venice for the Fall 2009 color collection.  Think rich sienna and deep rose tones, along with dusky greys and greens that when combined, create a lovely and modern look.

The Fall 2009 collection from Chanel offers up some true standouts including the limited edition Luminous Cream …read more

From the CHANEL Paris Makeup Studio, a spirited color collection brings bold statements to the forefront of the boho-chic look. Inspired by Coco Chanel’s fascination with haute bohemian style, eyes take on deep tones for day and night, while lips are saturated with fiery reds and lush nudes, evoking an earthy sensuality elevated to a new level of sophistication.
While delving through the house archives, Peter Philips, Global Creative Makeup Director for CHANEL, rediscovered gypsy dresses by Gabrielle Chanel. “The Gypsy is a heroine with very distinctive beauty codes,” explains Peter Philips. “After looking through the sketches by Mademoiselle Chanel, I …read more