Karl Lagerfeld’s First & Last Latin American Fashion Collection

When Chanel models walked El Paseo del Prado in Havana, I should have been there, but I wasn’t. Now that Karl Lagerfeld has passed away, I really wish I had made it. Fortunately, a months later in December, during Christmas, my husband Boyd booked was in Paris. And I had the pleasure of going inside Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel Coco Cuba collection and inside Coco Chanel’s personal apartment. International celebrities may have graced the red carpet in Havana as Chanel, the ultimate in worldwide fashion staged its first Latin American catwalk show last May, but my experience in the Chanel boutique below Coco’s apartment was a monumental few hours.

15 DIY Tips To Achieve CHANEL | Karl Lagerfeld’s aka Coco Chanel Coco Cuba Collection

1. Add Jewelry & Patches To Purses | Go Coco Cuba 

If you read my blog, you know I’m obsessed with acrylic (including own art, furniture & my Mood Swings), gold and pearls – this purse definitely made the cut in my photography selections but my bank account and already overloaded carry on did not agree.

To make this look your own, you can add brooches, jewelry, and patches to a basic white, black, or clear acrylic purse. While nothing can replace the genuine Chanel acrylic handbag, click here to view my less than $30 Amazon picks for some of my favorite acrylic purses and blanks that will help you achieve this look. Check https://mynamedgifts.co.uk

2. Wear Two-Toned Saddle Oxford Shoes | Coco Chanel, Coco Cuba Collection

Shoe shopping in Chanel is easy for me, only because I know that photoshopping (and I don’t mean PhotoShopping) is all I can do.  Fortunately for Boyd, Chanel does not make women’s size 11s! Fortunately for me, I have found an alternative to Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic two-toned Italian made genuine leather shoes at my favorite London shoe store. AND their online saddle oxford, two (or three tone) shoe store site is absolutely adorable – click here to see what I mean.

3. Beltway to Layering Belts Like Chanel | Coco Chanel Inspiration

I love the Chanel layered belts and the way Karl Lagerfeld layered belts and incorporated belts with almost everything to enhance a woman’s figure. Yes, you can find a nice belt, but you can search the world over and stil spend half price of what the real genuine designer belt will cost. Therefore, the best option to get the look is to search for luxury goods like belts in consignment, thrift or second-hand stores like Poshmark. 

4. Add Appliques to Garments | Coco Chanel Inspiration

Adding appliques to garments is a genius idea to give an outfit a punch of color and whimsy. If you can’t afford Chanel or Karl Lagerfeld, stitching on your own appliques or adding lapel pins and brooches is an affordable solution to achieving personal luxury. Click here and look on my “Applique & Patches” list and my “Jewelry” list for extremely affordable appliques and patches. 

5. Add Lapel Pins To Purses & Handbags

When traveling I love to pick up a nice but simple lapel pin from all of the places, cities, or regions I visit. Evidentally Chanel creative director, Karl Lagerfeld also believes in the well-traveled wardrobe.  Read this post to see how I incorporate pins and brooches on my jackets, purses, and garments. 

6. Add Lace, Knit, Macrame To Your Wardrobe

Whether in a shirt, sweater, dress, or another garment, handmade looking details such as lace, knit and macrame can go along way.

7. Add Pins & Brooches To Your Favorite Fedora | Coco Chanel Inspiration

Like polka dots…grosgrain ribbon is always in style! Use a black grosgrain ribbon on your favorite fedora and add a couple of brooches or combine your favorite travel souvenirs to achieve Karl Lagerfeld’s Coco Cuba white fedora look. I mean it’s not Chanel, but at least you’ll be in style 😉 Click here for some of my favorite pins and brooches. 

8. Add Mesh Hair Pieces to Shoes.

Shop in the hairband section and affix aka. glue, tape or band a hairpiece onto a basic pair of heels. Pair the heels with ribbed, fishnet, and any cute decorative sock and you’ve got the Chanel look.

Look what was hiding behind the No. 5 perfume bottle…..black strappy, open-toed heels with mesh CHANEL roses…. #todiefor… especially considering this is permission to wear white socks with heels!

9. Mix Pink w/ Army Green | Coco Cuba Inspiration

Enough said? Whether it’s camo or not, army (aka. olive green) can easily be feminized with a dose of pink. Because I own a pink dog, have owned two pink houses, and I’m now on to my pink Miami condo, I will say that any color can be feminized with pink. Did you know that pink was the first pigment discovered? Or so they say.

10. Reversible Mermaid Sequin Accessories.

From fashion to home decor to art, mermaid sequins are all the rage. CHANEL was not the first fashion brand that I’ve seen with mermaid sequins yet they will make them iconic. If you haven’t already, add mermaid sequins to your mix.

11. Basketweave Buttons and Fabrics

Buttons always make the garment. I don’t know about you, but I can spot nice textiles and trims a mile away. When I spotted this jacket, even in CHANEL, all I could think was…..Really!?!? Who thinks of using basketweaving materials to make buttons? And using strips of could be leftover fabric to weave together a jacket fabric? Only Karl Lagerfeld and the CHANEL team. Honestly, there’s no DIY fix for this that I’m aware of. Feel free to comment below if you have ideas for this DIY fix.

12. Soft Worn Graphic Tees w/ Silk Scarves

The nostalgic graphic prints and colors in the Coco Cuba collection are soft, sweet and subtly feminine… and oh, sooooo… #CUBA! Finding graphic vintage tees can be spotted in local thrift shops or I may have some in my Poshmark closet, but they are few and far between. If you’re like me and a sucker for awesome t-shirts, be sure to subscribe – I have a little surprise coming in 2019.

13. Wear Swimwear as Body Suits.

My Venezuelan friend Silvana Isaacs, founder of Antiqua Collection is most notable for designing the most amazing flattering bathing suits that dual as shapewear for evening wear. When searching for a dual garment, be sure the fabric is good quality and the style works well when pairing with other wardrobe items.  Check out Antiqua Collection here – use coupon code PSTHISROCKS for an extra special discount.

14. Quilted Handbags

There’s nothing quite as iconic as the CHANEL quilted handbag. The genuine luxury handbags are unmatched yet everyone’s pocketbooks may not be equipped for luxury. Never fear, Amazon is here – I added a few quilted handbags to my “Handbags” List that are very affordable to help you achieve this look for less.

Coco Chanel, Coco Cuba

15. CHANEL’s Iconic Leather Camelia Flower

With the many renditions of CHANEL’s iconic leather camellia flower, finding brooches and jewelry with its look is easier than it should be. Like CHANEL, in design and fashion, I like to add flower power to almost everything! They add it to their postcards. Before Amazon, when I was a good gift giver and wrapper, my mom handmade ribbon roses for gifts or we would use brooches with ribbons in place of a typical boring bow. Want to see my recommendations for leatherlike roses that Amazon can bring to your door in two days for less than $5? Click here. 

P.S. This Rocks – Watch the Chanel Cruise runway show here:

Now, are you ready to go inside the Mademoiselle’s personal Parisian flat? Let’s go! Click here.