Iconic Ice Sculptures

New York City is a Winter Wonderland in October- at least on 57th street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Bergdorf Goodman, the exclusive retail store offering fashion's finest luxuries, gave shoppers a taste of Chanel's exquisite winter collection. The doorman welcomed visitors into an enchanting world of frosted glamour. To create an appropriate environment for the new line, the store's entrance was transformed into a picturesque winter scene, complete with an ice sculpture and an enormous polar bear.

Shintaro Okamoto, the founder of Okamoto Studio Ice Scultupre, chiseled away at a large block of ice positioned at the center of the display. For the duration of the event, which lasted three days, Okamoto arrived at 11am and worked vigorously until 3pm creating the iconic Chanel emblem. Okamoto's work caught the attention of many shoppers, who stopped to admire his efforts, and later returned to commend his progress.

"It's nice to be apart of this process, and doing a live performance is a different form of art," he said.

The most enticing factor of the event was the sampling of Chanel's new collection, which captures sophisticated style in the most intricate ways this season. Metallic embellishments on gloves and sleeves added an edginess to the feminine line. Simple winter staples, such as vests and sweaters, were amplified with excessive detailing of fringe and fur. Knit stockings were a funky twist on the classic material synonymous with winter trends. Mesh textures, which may seem seasonally unusual, were expertly incorporated in the form of sweater underlays and statement accessories.

The theme of the event was subtly translated into the clothes on display. One mannequin held a purse modeled after a tray of ice cubes, while another sported a white sweater-dress synched at the knee, bearing a striking resemblance to the decorative polar bear. Diamond trimmings dripped from the edges of knit cardigans like icicles.

Majda Janibi, a Bergdorf Goodman employee, was thrilled to be included in her first big event for Chanel, which drew in a sizable crowd considering the unpredictable weather.

"Everyone has been stopping to take pictures, it's definitely a focus point. The line is timeless." She said. 

Among the intrigued crowd was CAS student Kendall Brezinski ('14). After hearing about the event through Twitter, Brezinski was eager to take advantage of his conveniently located Manhattan domain and head uptown on Friday, October 1st, to check out the new collection.

"Not only am I going to college, I'm living in the real world and doing amazing things. Just this weak I have attended so many great events having New York City as my campus," he commented.

The event at Bergdorf Goodman helped to set Chanel apart from other high-end fashion lines bringing trendy collections into stores right now. The clothes and accessories were displayed tastefully, introducing unique styles that will certainly cause a stir in the fashion industry this winter. This event further confirmed Chanel's competitive presence in the world of style, demonstrating a quality of fashion that is always on-target and timeless.