The Cult of Chanel

This past weekend Chanel sparked yet another rush to it's cosmetics counters as the long awaited Black Pearl, Pearl Drop, and Peach Necree nail varnishes were released for Spring Summer.

Chanel's seamless ability to create an instantaneous cult classic was once again showcased as the nail varnishes started to sell out in a matter of hours

Black Pearl, for me at least, is the clear standout of the three. Its mermaid shimmer, a unique mix of deep green, silver and intense black depending on the light,make the nails appear as if they have been dipped into diamonds, a perfect polish for both the current cold snap we are experiencing as well as the summer months ahead.

The other two however are rather same old, same old. Pearl Drop - whilst providing a pretty sheen to the nails, hardly differs from its Chanel cousin Intermezzo, and although Peach Nacree is a pretty spring colour, it  isn't anything special. Similar colours and finishes can easily be found by many a drugstore brand, meaning it really isn't worth its £22 price tag.

When carefully considered however, are Chanel polishes ever really worth the designer price tag? Sure the quality is good (it better be for over £20's a pop), the packaging is chic and adorned with the signature Chanel logo, but, if I am really honest the colours are rarely anything special and dare I say it? A bit copycat.

Case in point. Chanel's Jade green polish caused a frenzy when it was released in September 2009, and is currently being sold on ebay for up to a quite frankly astonishing £80. Yet the almost the exact same colour was released by Mac and OPI six months earlier in the form of Peppermint Patti and Gargantuan Green Grape, respectively.

 Another example of Chanel jumping nail trend bandwagon is the release of Particuliere in April 2010. This dirty taupe colour was hailed as the next big thing when it was seen on Chanel's runways, when in fact the 'taupe nail trend' was already going strong thanks to OPI's release of You Don't Know Jacques a whopping 18 months earlier.

So if Chanel isn't setting nail polish trends, instead merely following them, why do thousands of women rush out to get their hands (and nails) on them?

There really is only one answer to that, and its because they (myself sometimes included), want to have their own little piece of Chanel. £20 is a hell of an expensive nail polish, but its a very reasonably priced piece of a Parisian design icon.