Chanel AW11/12: Metallics for Eyes and Nails the Big Beauty Story for Autumn

It's not uncommon for me to feel a bit Mystic Meg as I wave my fortune-telling hands over my email inbox: news updates about products months out from launch dates are common and the fashion and beauty industry works at least half a year in advance too, so beauty bloggers and journalists are always scrambling to assimilate future launches and catwalk makeup into coherent trends upon which to report.

So when these shots arrived from Chanel yesterday evening I sat up and took notice. One of the most watched lines by us beauty-obsessed gals (not to mention by other brands), we want the low-down now on the shade and finish of nail varnish we're gonna be rocking next Autumn. Karl Lagerfeld, who you can see above in his studio (and that's but a portion of his book collection) shot these images on Tuesday for Chanel's AW11/12 fashion press file.

(Lagerfeld shoots many campaigns for the brand in addition to his design duties. I honestly wonder where he finds the time.)

And handily, these pix provide some clues as to what Chanel will be pushing our way beauty-wise come the Autumn. Clearly, a big metallic story is on the cards, with an emphasis on sparkly eyes and some very interesting-looking nails.

While I could crop in on the eyes, the nails remain frustratingly - and tantalisingly - out of focus. But it seems we may be expecting a pewter/olive-toned metallic polish if the shot above is anything to go by.

A nude lip and strong, gleaming eyes is the core of the look. It's an interesting and refreshing idea for seasonal makeup that so often tends towards the old standards of berry shades for eyes and lips.

As for me, I want a closer look at that polish and am pretty intrigued by the metallic shadow too. I never thought I'd say it after the winter we've had but ... roll on the autumn!