It should come as no surprise to anyone that has been following the fashion papers these days that “Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively has been tapped as the official ambassador for Chanel’s new Mademoiselle handbag line The style icon and recent buddy of Lagerfeld and pal Anna Wintour will appear in a campaign photographed by Karl Lagerfeld himself. The ads are slated to break in April magazines.
Lively a So Cal girl told WWD she has always admired Chanel and what it represents to her: “It is timeless, chic, graceful, intelligent, iconic and ever relevant.” Lively in recent years has come to represent young Hollywood in all it’s chicness. Appearing as a leggy front row fixture at many a fashion week show. And often calling attention to the fact that she eschews using a stylist and instead goes straight the designers themselves.
She met Lagerfeld last July through Anna Wintour Editor- in -Chief of American Vogue during couture week in Paris. The three dined together the night before one of Lagerfelds most spectacular high-fashion shows at the Grand Palais. Of course Lagerfeld found Lively to be in his words (to WWD) “She’s a kind of American dream girl,” , lauding Lively’s spontaneous nature, freshness and what he described as natural star quality. “I think she will become a great actress.”
Chanel unveiled the Lagerfeld-designed Mademoiselle bag at its cruise show in Saint-Tropez last May, with the first styles already in stores. The bag retails from about 1,500 to 2,500 euros, or about $2,000 to $3,300 at current exchange, with models in exotic skins topping out at 23,000 euros, or $30,600.
The oblong-shaped styles come in five sizes, each with Chanel’s iconic chain handle and quilted surface. A wide range of colors, finishes and materials are available, including jersey cloth, satin, calfskin, lambskin, alligator and shagreen.
Lagerfeld and Chanel have enlisted an eclectic and often exotic list pitchwomen for its handbags in recent years, including Lily Allen, who fronted the brand’s puffy Coco Cocoon line in 2009 and was succeeded in that role by Vanessa Paradis, who also appears in advertising for Chanel’s Rouge Coco lipstick.
Other famous faces to have appeared in Chanel handbag campaigns include Rinko Kikuchi, Anna Mouglalis and Diane Kruger, whom Lagerfeld photographed Tuesday night for a feature in French Glamour.
On a side note, recently news surfaced that Lively sold the least amount of covers in 2010 including her three appearances in Vogue… far behind the top cover seller, Lady Gaga… insteresting!
I buy every Blake cover I see!