{recap} KARL for Net-a-Porter Launch + The Chanel Debacle

This is a few days overdue but here it is, FINALLY, my recap of the launch of KARL by Karl Lagerfeld for Net-a-Porter! This post will be in the form of a very LONG diary of my day/review of the collection.  I was specifically invited to the event, by the lovely folks at Net-a-Porter, but it was an open event so anyone could go. My day started SUPER early, I got up at 6am & caught an 8:15 train where I met up with Lydia!  We talked about craziness on our ride into the city and had to hail a cab. Thankfully for us there was one just sitting there waiting so we didn't have to try really hard (we both STINK at catching cabs.)  We got to the event about 45 minutes early & the line wasn't too long, yet.  Then began our long wait for the fun to begin! There was a guy & his girlfriend ahead of us (he worked at Chanel) and he kept complaining about how tacky & dumb the event was and "Chanel would never do something like this"...I wanted to punch him!

As it got closer to 10:30 the staff started walking around asking if we had downloaded the KARL app yet so we could shop and win once the event began! They also handed out gift bags to the first people in line. We all got bags and "Karl Addict" tshirts and then everyone got another special item. I got the famous Karl Lagerfeld gloves ($65) and Lydia got an amazing sequin collar ($175.)

At 10:30 they removed a cloth banner covering the window to reveal 3 of the outfits from the collection and this is where the fun began!  They let us through in groups and we used our iPhones and iPads (they also supplied them) to scan the outfits and try to win pieces from the collection! So many girls around Lydia and I were winning but luck just wasn't on our side.  Then we proceeded inside the building where there were more outfits to scan as well as a fun coffee stand so you could get a drink in a fun Karl Lagerfeld cup.  After scanning for a while and not winning we gave up and decided to head out for some NYC fun. Some of the girls who worked for Net-a-Porter actually remembered me from the Affiliate Tea in July, so that was nice!

To finish up with the Karl part of the day, here are some of my favorite pieces in the collection, I tried to win some of them at the Window Shop, but sadly I only left with my bag, tshirt and gloves.  The collection is full of some amazing statement pieces that are also pretty basic. For example all of the sequin pieces, if you wore them all at once you would look like a crazy person, but wear the jacket with simple jeans and pumps and it is perfection! I love the edgyness and that it is only 3 colors: black, white and grey/silver. Click to view product pages.
[I should have bought the Burgundy dress...maybe if it comes back in stock...]

After the event we went to take our outfit photos (and we stupidly though "oh, we'll do our crossing the street photos later" and never did them...poo!) then walked for a bit and found an adorable cafe in the West Village called Doma where we went for lunch! I got DELICIOUS French Toast with sliced fruit and Lydia got an icky goat cheese salad thing ;) After we were fed and watered we headed out to do what any fashion bloggers would do in the city: SHOP!  Our first stop was Second Time Around, where I got the blazer I posted on Thursday.  Then we also stopped at Loehman's, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Zara and H&M before we were too pooped to walk and  had to head home.

The lovely Lydia (all photographs in this post, except the second one, are by her)

Sandals: Miu Miu eBay, Blazer: Moschino Cheap & Chic eBay $27, Jeans: Free People (Gilt Groupe) gift card, Purse: Marc by Marc Jacobs (Shopbop), Watch: Michael Kors, Sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs (Shopbop) gift card, Coat: TJ Maxx gift ($40)

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Here is the story I promised on Thursday (this is very long winded and ends badly, so you don't have to read it.) As some of you may know, I have been saving up for a Chanel bag since I started my job, I will FINALLY have enough once my tax return comes through but Chanel is raising their prices by 500-600 dollars on February 1st (YUCK!) so I was hoping to find one in the city.  But as timing would have it, Rue La La was having a Chanel sale on Wednesday at 11am (aka right in the middle of the Karl event.) So at 11 I went to the app on my iPhone & tried to find a suitable purse. I found the perfect one: a vintage Jumbo Black Classic Flap in Caviar for $3,999, which is $1000 cheaper than the current purses ($1600 cheaper than they will be in a few days).

After agonizing and bugging Lydia about it for a few minutes I finally pressed "Buy It" but my credit card wouldn't work!! That's probably because I've never spent that much money in one transaction...EVER...so it thought my card was stolen. I couldn't call the company to let them know because I was in the middle of a crowded room, so I tried another card, still no go...and then the bag was gone! I was SO depressed.  My Chanel dreams were crushed and I gave up hope on ever getting my most coveted item.
[After we left the event I had to call my credit card company, but at least I got a good shot out of it that you saw above ;) Props to Lydia for taking advantage of my misfortune and turning it into an awesome picture!]

But when we were in Loehman's, Lydia pointed out a $16,000 Hermes bag and we drooled over it, I slowly looked up and there it was...a gorgeous dark purple (my favorite color) Chanel, on sale for $2800, so we asked if I could see it. As I held the purse I died a bit inside...SO soft, so amazing, but it wasn't a classic flap so I passed. Once again I was so close and had it ripped from my hands! VERY depressing. I just have to hope that a sample sale site will have another Chanel sale soon (doubtful). 

It was like this but fully quilted like the classic flap

Here's hoping that I get amazingly lucky and find my perfect Chanel for under $4000....highly unlikely. (I want black, purple or dark burgundy...black would be ideal but those are hard to come by in Classic Flaps)

All photos © to Lydia!! [except the Chanel bags and goodie bag shot]