karen + karl = bffs

**photos courtesy of the new york times @ nytimes.com

...or rather, my experience with his mobile art, CHANEL contemporary art container by zaha hadid, now in Central Park only until Nov. 9, made me feel 1cm closer to getting to know him. i felt really special to have attended this exhibit, because it's kind of hard to get into, being that you're on standby...apparently they sold out of tix "a while ago" and the opening window to get tix was between 8am-10am. um, no thank you, being that i'm your antithesis to "morning person." i'll stand on standby.

so the story goes, that my boss and i had planned to see this "container" the day prior as inspiration for our fall '09 collection. come friday, i ask her when she plans to head out, and she goes "oh, i have to stay and do this pattern for barneys japan....why don't you go yourself and report back."

hmmm. stay inside our studio on a beautiful friday morning? or get kicked out to see a chanel exhibit firsthand, for inspiration's sake? hmmmm.

off i go...boss' orders. *shrug*

upon approaching the exhibit, there stands a slew of black guards in front of the container...it's literally a gorgeous sleek white futuristic bulbous snake supported on a blacktop of the rumsey grounds...the entire view is black and white, and even without being a fashion insider you would think that something "major" was being put on display. i ask the guards what the deal is with the tix, and he explains the standby issue, saying that i would get in at, oh, 3pm...guaranteed. i look at my watch and it's 12:45. decision time: do i wait in line hoping to get in before 3, and experience this thing since i probably won't get the chance on the weekends, much less weekdays..OR do i scour the surrounding museums like the Met over the next 2 hours? i mean, i AM on assignment, no? i decide to stay and fight with time. it's like waiting in line forever for the rollercoaster at great adventure, for a three-minute thrill. i was hoping this was going to last more than 3 minutes.

anywho, i'm standing in line and pull out my sketchbook. Two girls behind me are blabbing about their art classes and pondering out loud if they sound professional...i think to myself, well, if you talk like a valley girl with a long island accent, it's kind of hard to sound professional esp. if your voice is soprano. i continue to sketch...and i must look like i'm a reporter or something because i'm people watching and sketching at the same time....and people are looking at me...i can sense these things...and i begin to see what mr. sartorialist sees on a daily basis....european style, american style, junior/college style, in their daily garb, whether they take it seriously or not. ooh, the line inches forward....3 specimens at a time. it's 1:20...really hoping this line moves a tad faster so i don't feel like i'm playing hooky. but i mean, i'm so not.

along the sidewalk of this line lay speakers that emanate a mix of sounds that cross between french star trek + serge gainsbourg + windchimes. it definitely sets a mood. i'm reeeally curious at this point to see what's inside.

1:40. fiiiiinally comes my turn. i'm the cutoff for the next group to enter, and black-clad guard turns out to be a cutie who chats with me for a bit...i mean, people know me...

i'm not going to give it away, but the exhibit is breathtaking, unique, sensory, and really beautiful at the end of it. each installation has its own surprise and you are guided along by the voice of jeanne moreau, a major french actress, via your own black mp3 player. oh karl, the whole black and white thing is so you! well done. she has the throaty, sexy, deep female voice that is super seductive and matches the vibe of the exhibit completely. it's rather appropriate, actually.

the last 2 installations were rather memorable...1 being a blow-up version of the black chanel 2.55 bag, lined with a rosy mauve rabbit fur and blow-up chanel compact. the other 1 being a "wish tree," where we were invited to write down a wish and hang it on a plant...oooh, i'm being part of history.

at the check-out counter before exiting i also received a fresh 11x14 magazine, of b/w pics of nyc...taken from the who's-who of the fashion/art worlds. olivier zahm, karl, etc. etc...u know, my pals.

....luck be a lady, i was. i returned to the studio with my gifts in hand, feeling like i had the best job in the world...to be paid to be inspired. now that's wack.