In Dutch
How do you make your own Chanel-inspired jacket ? There is a simple answer to that question: read the books by Claire Schaeffer! This American lady has written many books about the history of Haute couture, how to make your own couture and in particular everything about Chanel couture. Her books are for all seamstress or hobby-sewers. But they are also interesting for people who are not interested in sewing. The history of Haute couture Claire Schaeffer is an expert in Haute couture. She has a wealth of knowledge and an own collection of vintage couture. She gained her knowledge by looking around in museums and studying couture in detail. Couture houses often do not reveal their secrets. However, Claire has unraveled many couture secrets by studying original vintage items. These literately inside studies enabled her to gather a lot of information that normally remains behind closed doors. Think of it as recipes from special menus from top restaurants. It is not only about the ingredients of a menu, but also about the specific cooking techniques that suddenly make eating a plate something very special. Apart from detailed sewing techniques, the books contain many beautiful photos of special vintage clothing. Classic and timeless chic! A beautiful Chanel jacket worn on trendy jeans. Who doesn't want this? Or a beige tweed coat for the winter? Just as timelessly beautiful as the perfectly fitting business blazer you would like to wear on occasions where you need to look beauty and brains. Everyone likes photography and information about the fashion of the past and the fashion of today. The only difference between a Vogue or Hapaar's Bazaar magazine and Claire Schaeffer's books is the idea to make these great pieces of clothing yourself. Perhaps you should first start with making potholders or pajama pants, but after a few years of practice it will probably work... Claire Schaeffer & Chanel Couture Anyone who says 'Chanel jackets' in the sewing-world, says Claire Schaeffer. Conversely too. Claire Schaeffer is a Chanel expert par excellence. Her books: The Couture Cardigan Jacket, The Couture Skirt and Designer trims deal specifically with the phenomenon: the Little French Jacket. The books are about how-to instructions and inspirations for color combinations, choices of fabrics and the very specific decorative trims and fringes of these jackets. A very nice ode to Coco Chanel. Some of her books were reissued in 2013, exactly one hundred years after Coco Chanel opened its first store in Deauville. A gift or a "silent" hint! If you have a girlfriend who likes to work with needle and thread: the books for this special lady are nice to give as a gift. Perhaps the silent hint is understood. You hope she will make a DIY Chanel jacket for you some day.... The word "day" is misplaced here. It is known that the "making time" of the Chanel jackets is on average 80 hours. And don't forget to add a lot of reading hours too, because you will soon loose the time if you step into the world of Haute couture through the eyes of Claire Schaeffer.  Inside Haute couture: Behind the Scenes at the Paris Ateliers by Desirée Sadek and Guillaume de Laubier As the title says, this book is about taking a glimpse inside the famous fashion houses. It is very picture-heavy with many images of studios, workshops, designers and artisans at work, as well as the close ups of the gorgeous details that go into the garments and the shots before the fashion shows begin. The photography is splendid, of course, and every page is full of information about the haute couture design process at different fashion houses. What goes on behind closed doors at Chanel, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Yves Saint Laurent and other famous houses is usually very secretive in the fashion industry. It is so refreshing to see a bit of this mystery unveiled. For example, my favourite part is the way the authors described the typical day at Mademoiselle Chanel’s when she was still alive. A valet at the hotel where she lived would call the workplace at 31, rue Gambon (right across from the hotel), to let the staff know that she was on her way. They would immediately spray her favourite perfume all over so she can get a good whiff when she got to work. Paris, the centre of Haute couture The book also highlights various skilled workshops around Paris that help the fashion houses bring their collections to fruition. Maison Lesage, Maison Michel, Massaro shoes, Maison Lemarie, Atelier Broderies Vermont got their due praises. The details of their work are amazing. It is no wonder that Paris is still the center of the haute couture industry simply because the skilled labour is there and they have thousands of embroidery, shoes, pleats, feather and other embellishments’ designs on files from hundreds of years in fashion. Some secrets revealed I am always curious to know what inspires other designers, what their creative process is like, and how they succeed. There are snippets of information in this book that help me understand why some designers are more successful than others. Ambition and talent are important, of course, and there is plenty of mention about that throughout the book. But there are other deciding factors that make it of break it in this industry. For instance, the very fact that all of the most famous fashion houses are located in Paris is a major reason for success because they have access to the best fabrics, notions and embellishments without worrying about shipping and customs duties.  Work at workshops!
It is common custom among the fashion houses to purchase the workshops that they need for their designs, such as embroidery and lace. Chanel’s group has recently acquired the workshop in Paris making tweeds because originally Chanel’s tweeds were imported from Linton Tweeds in the UK. Similar example of acquisitions is the house of Dior buying Atelier Broderies Vermont. Elie Saab has his own workshops in Beirut making hundreds of meters of precious embroideries. On the final note, this book is a great resource for anyone working in the fashion design industry or for those who are curious about what the prestigious studios look like and how the designers work. 
This book is new in my library and it exceeded my expectations in every way. It tells about Balenciaga's humble beginnings, his success story, design process, the suppliers he worked with, his famous clients and it includes plenty of great photos to highlight his style.
Respect for women He was such a private man and a true gentleman who never revealed much about his private life. The book does tell about his dressmaking background which started with his mother when the family lived in Spain. Because of his mother’s influence, Balenciaga had a great respect for women and he understood the lines, colours and designs that flatter the female figure. He didn’t like corsets and closures of Dior garments. He wanted women to be comfortable and stylish at the same time. The book leads us through his professional journey from San Sebastian to Paris highlighting the historical and political context of this period both in Spain and in France. Balenciaga's style What this book really excels in is describing Balenciaga’s style, his inspirations and Spanish influences. There are plenty of images throughout the book that show how the designer’s style evolved over the year. Yet he stayed true to his impeccable construction with engineering precision. He was one of those rare fashion designers who could make any garment from start to finish. He considered himself a tailor and a dressmaker and his pieces were constructed based on his solid tailoring training. He was incredibly meticulous in his designs and he paid great attention to detail. If he didn’t like the lines, he would pull the garment apart and start again. 
Dressmaker ánd businessman
He was also a shrewd businessman and he was procuring fabrics and notions based on the best price rather than loyalty. He had a great list of the best European suppliers, including Abraham, Agnona, Dormeuil, Chanel, Velours de Lyon and many many others. He was fortunate to open his business in Paris where he got access to the best textiles, buttons and trimmings and where the best embroidery artisans, such as Maison Lesage, were available. He kept accurate ledgers of his expenses which show how the fashion house grew over the years. 
If you love vintage fashion...
I was hungry to know how he designed and procured his fabrics, his creative process, and also price, advertising and publicity strategies he used to compete with other fashion houses at the time. The luxury fashion market is very difficult to enter and he was one of the designers who was able to dominate this market and seed other budding designers some of whom actually apprenticed with him. Hubert de Givenchy, André Courrèges, Emanuel Ungaro come to mind. I will not spoil your read by revealing too much detail, just to say that the book is very interesting with plenty of details and quotes shared by those who worked with the designer or bought his clothes. If you love vintage fashion, you will love this book. 
For years, I have been following the Chanel fashionhouse. I read every book about Chanel or Chanel couture and I even create the famous Chanel jackets myself, according to the strict rules of Haute couture (and my beloved Claire Schaeffer). My quilty pleasure ... in capitals!
But now, a new book. A real treasure! You can hardly give a bigger gift to a Chanel-fan like me. Figuratively but also literally. Because it is a big book. A beautiful coffee table book with a striking light blue front and a very appealing content. But different than the others, because it stands out among all the glossy Chanel books, which have been on the coffee table for some time. The making of a Collection The book is richly illustrated by Jean-Philipe Delhomee. No illustrations as a side issue, but drawings that are at least 3 to 1 in relation to the text. No photo in this book, not even on the inside flaps of the cover and back page. The illustrations are beautiful, cheerful and very modern. The text of Laetitia Cénac is easy to follow in English for people our Dutch readers. Pleasant letter font, written well and clearly arranged. Who are the makers of a couture collection? Apart from all information about the Fashion House Chanel, about Gabrielle Chanel, history and even a list of important dates (pages 234-238), the book is mainly about WHO makes Haute-couture. Every step, from the process of idea (even an interview with Karl Lagerfeld) till the catwalk. The book is mainly about people who all do their work, which contributes to the beautiful couture collections of Chanel. The first pages are devoted to a fashion show. Before the first model with a beautiful Chanel jacket arrives on the catwalk, a lot has happened. Many people are already involved, who are an important part, but you have never thought about it for a second. Illustrations of the sound designer, the make-up artists, the fitting and dressing team, the stage manager etc. Presenting a collection is not a one-man show of a designer, but a well-oiled machine in which many people play a (big)role. The book elaborates on this. Back to the very beginning; from fabric to Haute couture. Every part of the collection and the entire making process is discussed, from bags, shoes, gloves, hats, jewelry to fabrics, yarn and threads. There are many pages dedicated to how the materials are made, how choices are made and where and who supplies this material. An ode to many people, to them all. To all people behind the products, to all people who cooperate or who are important suppliers of the basis for the Chanel collection. From now on I look at the Chanel collections with even more interest. A superficial world? Opinions are divided on this. The fact is that it is a whole industry and that more people are involved than you might think. A lot of glitter and glamor in this book, but strikingly enough, the emphasis is more on the entire creative process than on all the lavish luxury, the big money and the inaccessibility of Haute couture for ordinary people. This is mainly due to the modern, joy full drawings and the design of the book. Very well done, because in these times the environmental, climate and economic problems are too big to admit the money smelter of the upper class. 
This book is an eye-opener that very cleverly emphasizes the old crafts, manual labor and all the people behind the scenes who do the work.
(Let's just hope that all these production processes will also be carried out in an environmentally friendly way and that they will be able to maintain themselves in the coming years. So that we can continue to enjoy the Chanel Haute couture) At least I have enough inspiration to climb behind the sewing machine ... if I manage to put this book aside for a while.  Last week, June 13, 2020, was the day of the sewing machine! That sounds a bit old-fashioned, but it certainly isn't. The sewing machine revival is a fact! Partly thanks to the Corona crisis and all creative people who started sewing with face masks. Quilty pleasures We have written about sewing magazines (also for children: ZigZagZoom magazine!) And sewing books. We realluy appreciate these books. But also books that fall under the category: "Quilty pleasures", the so-called "must-have" books, fashion trends and tips & tricks. Green Designed fashion And suddenly there is a book "Green Designed Fashion" by Christine Anna Bierhals. It had been between my pile of "readable books" for a while. The book looks beautiful. Square format, attractive front and a bit of a combination of glossy and alternative. An eco-fashion glossary! Page by page, designers come along with photos of their ideas about fashion, trends and designs. Unknown names, but also well-known names such as Filippa K, American Apparel and Levi's. On the left page two columns with text and explanation: English and German. It is written in short pieces; how the designers are concerned with the environment and their own collections. Most excel in creativity but are also very innovative. "Sustainability" is a word that (tahanks God!) Is often mentioned, just like "environmentally friendly" and "social responsible". Each and every one explains what their emphasis is on. For one, this is mainly the choice of materials (raw materials), for the other this is support for an organization or target group. Conserving resources is a good thing The designers, from all countries of the world, are of good will and do everything to "green" their industry. A good thing, because with "fashion" we soon think of good clothes that you can no longer wear because they are so "out-dated" and are therefore no longer acceptable in the street scene. Or cheap mass production of the low-wage countries where exploitation is a fact. And especially the poor quality that ensures you will throw away the garment after five washes.  Not so joyfull... The book is easy to read and radiates hope and courage. Yupie! The world is changing for a while and we live in green cities with fresh air and we wear clothes and we are not feeling guilty. But then the downer: the book is from 2008! It is already twelve years later and nothing seems to have changed at all. In fact, the choice for the consumer has become limited between dirt-cheap mass-production clothing or expensive designer clothing. Green future? But I remain positive. It is a beautiful book, may have been very innovative in 2008 and the fact is that terms such as 'ethical trade', 'fair trade', 'sustainability' and 'organic cotton label' and 'recycling' have become concepts that everyone knows and pursues. Now we hope for a continuation of this book about all designers who have gained a foothold with their innovative ideas and have indeed reached the mass consumer. And back to the day of the sewing machine: we are increasingly producing ourselves. Sewing as a hobby is no longer old fashioned, but environmentally conscious, modern and very green!  
A Chanel-Style jacket without trims or fringes? Impossible !
Coco Chanel made her signature trims and fringes longggg time ago and they are still famous and SUPER modern ! Let's start making trims and fringes and be creative as never before!
Read the book: Making designer trims by Claire Schaeffer
 Chanel-Style, Pink and the snow.... But to be honest, we have not had any winter in the Netherlands in recent months. No snow, just rain, lots of rain and too hot temperatures. Not good.... , but we won't talk about that on this website. Let's focus on the jacket: The pink Chanel-style jacket is made of lovely woolly Bouclé fabric with a silk lining. If you make a Chanel jacket a bit more spacious, it is also often very suitable to wear outside. Even in the snow;>)
The little black dress, by Simon Henry
No woman in the world should be without a little black dress! And that's an understatement... The little black dress is always chic, always classy and ideal for styling for different occasions: an evening party, a formal business-meeting or just a nice casual day. Add some accessories, handbags, a coat, shoes or boots or combine it with sneakers. Everything is possible and timeless beautiful. But where to find a little black dress that really fits? Read all about this book,
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