Chanel

As a blog is just a string of random thoughts pieced together on the internet, I thought I'd share with you, lovely readers, how I miss French. I was never that great at it to tell the truth. I did A-level but let's put it this way, I did French for at least 8 years longer than Spanish while at school, yet I'm doing Spanish (and just Spanish) at university.

Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. In an attempt to refresh my français, I decided to watch Coco avant Chanel and (importantly) without subtitles. It was more difficult to understand than I had remembered when I first watched it at the cinema in London but still, I like the film. At almost two hours, it is pretty long though so with the need for concentration for translation, not a one to watch when sleepy. You have been warned, I ended up watching it in two shifts as I almost fell asleep watching it at the end of a working week.

I liked this second time I watched it mostly because Audrey Tautou is just a very good choice for the part and is just very French, but also because visually, I think the film is very interesting.
I'm not really talking about the costumes, although the revelation of the pieces we recognise as very Chanel walking down that amazing mirrored staircase is exactly what the end of the film needs to lift it back to life again.......

I'm actually referring to the use of colour - well shades (black and white) if we're being picky - in the picture as a whole. Even from the very beginning at the school, where the scene is all black and white with the hospital-white beds, and Gabrielle's drab uniform contrasting with the twin girls in rich burgundy in their parents' arms, and later on another contrast between the garishly embellished monstrosity of a party dress bought for her in keeping with the fashion of the age and the outfit she ends up making for herself to wear to said party, we are given a hint at Chanel's 'future' designs and how a basic colour scheme is not necessarily plain but simple and chic.

Anyway, watch the film and decide for yourself. It's not one I think I'll ever buy on DVD because it can be a bit slow-going, but will certainly watch it if it's on TV - particulièrement pour pratiquer le français encore.

Someone stop me rambling. Here is a Chanel video that I came across on a friend's Facebook. A little midweek inspiration. I'd love to know how to make design videos like this.