One has to wonder: was it mere coincidence this season that linked so many collections to themes of the sea? Even Chanel picked up on the trend, albeit with an interpretation that pulled out every last stop, thanks to the fast-and-furious imagination of Karl Lagerfeld. This time, his mise-en-scène was an enormous white set inhabited by sea creatures, seashells and plant life–and everything he sent down the runway shimmered like a luminescent pearl.

It’s truly amazing how vigorously–and successfully–Karl can generate new ideas every season, while still maintaining the “stamp” of Chanel. That said, this collection was something of a departure: there weren’t many traditional tweeds (and even those were very light), and most of the jacket-and-skirt suit ensembles were built around new silhouettes. It was also a défilé produced as a study in white, with a few shots of black, pink and a print or two. It was very new, and yet very "Chanel"–the chic undersea world of Karl Lagerfeld!

Photographs via Style.com