I remember when Chanel Vamp came out in 1994. It was the first time I saw how a nail color could take hold and create a frenzy among fashion and beauty mavens. I was in college, and definitely wasn’t buying designer polish, but I was following the trends enough to know that Chanel Vamp was creating history.

Flash forward to 2008 when Peter Philips was named global creative director of Chanel Makeup. The first nail color created under his direction was Gold Fiction. Like liquid gold, Gold Fiction revived the frenzy of having the must-have color at every fashionista’s finger tips. Since then, every collection has featured a set of limited edition colors that have sold out at makeup counters and sold for over $100 on ebay. (Jade has reportedly created the most frenzy with prices reaching $165 on ebay. Laurel Pinson).

What is it about the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours that cause this mass hysteria?

Yes, the colors are ground breaking in that they are trendsetters.  That is, many mass market nail color brands follow suit and create copy cat colors.  But I don’t think that’s the main reason.  I think that the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours are an easy in to the Chanel Fantasy – “the gateway drug“, if you will.

With basic Chanel flats starting at over $500 and Chanel 2.55 bags starting at over $2,000, Le Vernis Nail Colour is a steal at $23 to $25 a bottle.  Expensive for nail polish? Yes, and some might say that a person is crazy for spending that much on nail polish.  But, when you compare that to the cost of other Chanel products it’s a drop in the bucket.

Most people can’t afford the Chanel shoes, bags and clothing but are Chanelphiles nonetheless (I can attest to that!).  Le Vernis Nail Colours are a way for fledgling Chanel fans to buy into the Chanel fantasy.

Similar Posts:

• Chanel Noir et Or Paris-Shanghai Makeup Collection
• 12 Days of Chanel: Le Vernis Nail Colour
• Peter Philips on Creating Particulière
• Chanel Fall 2011 Nail Polish Sneak Peek: Graphite, Quartz & Peridot
• Introducing Les Khakis de Chanel Nail Collection

In December, Chanel presented the Métiers D’Art Pre-Fall 2010 Paris-Shanghai collection in Shanghai.  The Métiers D’Art collections are always my favorite because Karl always takes us to exotic locales and the pieces are always exquisitely crafted by the artisans and craftsmen that the house of Chanel is know for working with.

Each season, Peter Philips creates a beauty collection to accompany the fashion collection and for this year’s Métiers D’Art Pre-Fall 2010 Paris-Shanghai Collection he created Noir et Or (“Black & Gold”).  Noir et Or takes cues from the apparel and accessories collection that featured jet black with gilded gold accents.

I’m very excited about this collection because for the first time, Chanel is offering a black matte nail colour called Black Velvet ($25).  The other Le Vernis colors include Gold Lamé, a Satiny gold nail color ($25) and Illusion d‘or, a transparent sparkling gold nail color ($25).  Though Chanel is no stranger to gold nail polish, Gold Lamé and Illusion d‘or are different than the Gold Fiction and Or de Russe (”Russian Gold” from the Paris-Moscou collection).  Gold Lamé looks like a more subtle version of Gold Fiction and Illusion d‘or is clear with just a hint of gold sparkle.  I definitely can’t wait to get my claws on all of these!

For eyes, Chanel is releasing Ligne et Ombre de Chanel in Jet-Gold, a matte black eyeliner and sparkling gold eyeshadow ($45).  I love the juxtaposition of matte black with lustrous gold.  Chanel herself was said to wear gold eyeshadow – one of my favorite eyeshadow colors.

Noir et Or will be on counters later this week for April 2010 and will be sold exclusively at Chanel boutiques, Chanel Makeup Studios and on Chanel.com.Similar Posts:

• Chanel Paris Shanghai: Sneak Preview
• Chanel Métiers D’Art Pre-Fall 2010 Paris-Shanghai
• Chanel Shanghai Accessories
• Chanel Paris-Shanghai Diary of the Collection Videos
• Buying Into The Chanel Fantasy: Le Vernis Nail Colour