WHAT: Chanel Les Vernis Nail Lacquer

WHOM IT'S GOOD FOR: Fashion-forward women of all ages

HOW MUCH: $25 and up

WHERE: Neiman Marcus, Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus; Lord & Taylor at the Fashion Center and Garden State Plaza, Paramus, and Willowbrook Mall, Wayne; Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue at The Shops at Riverside, Hackensack; Macy's at Garden State Plaza, Paramus.

At the makeup counter, this fall's hottest colors are not the orange, russet and brown we associate with the season. For the fashion-forward, they are Graphite, Quartz and Peridot, the latest nail varnishes released by Chanel.

The Fall 2011 collection, which is available at most North Jersey Chanel counters, is a trio of metallic, shimmery shades. The most popular, Peridot, has green, brown, gold and iridescent hues, which Peter Philips, global creative director of Chanel makeup, describes as "like a peacock feather or beetle wing."

Most women aren't going to plunk down $2,000 for a Chanel clutch. But they may be willing and able to pay the $25 to $30 price tag for a bottle of the legendary French fashion house's nail polish.

That's part of the reason why Chanel's Les Vernis Nail Lacquers have become the most coveted in the industry.

Women of all ages will wait in line just to lay their hands on a new shade. They collect these nail varnishes — with names like Particuliere, Paradoxal and Orange Fizz — with the same gusto as preteens stockpiling Beanie Babies.

"They're like nail polish groupies," said Tony Dariano, a salesperson at the Chanel counter at Lord & Taylor in Paramus. The limited-edition collections — like the 2008 Moscow-inspired line — sell out fast.

Philips, a native of Belgium, is the creative force behind each season's trend-setting nail color collection. "I don't say I invented green or orange nail polish," Philips said during a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times. "But by putting those shades in Chanel packaging, you give it credibility."

It's more than the Chanel name, though. Women swear by the quality of the lacquers and how long the color withstands chipping.

"Many nail polish companies on the market try to copy our colors," said Dariano. "But it doesn't quite have the exact same blend. You put them next to each other and you can see the difference."

For Fashion's Night Out earlier this month, Chanel released a limited-edition trio of denim-inspired hues, which are available at chanel.com.

E-mail: fujimori@northjersey.com