Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week shows have a reputation for being famous because of their intricate set pieces. These include the Grand Palais, which has been transformed into a station train, a mall, and even a winter wonderland.
Fashion Week’s most popular event is often the extravagant runway presentation. It features the top names from the industry, both on and off-the catwalk.
The Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld was absent from Tuesday’s Haute Couture runway. However, they kept up the spectacle of sending a horse down to the runway.
The new Chanel muse: Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week shows are legendary for their elaborate set pieces, and on Tuesday the brand sent a real-life horse down the runway for its Haute Couture runway, instead of their usual favoured models
Tuesday’s show opened with Charlotte Casiraghi, the elder daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and the granddaughter of Grace Kelly and one of Chanel’s most recent ambassadors, cantering down the catwalk on a horse while resplendent in Chanel black tweed.
Anna Wintour, who was seated just feet away from brand’s 4-legged model, was one of the VIPs. However, the rest of the A-list were absent from the crowd and on the catwalk.
Margot Robbie and Vanessa Paradis were just a few of the stars who made their fashion-forward arrivals to the Grand Palais.
Star power with a touch: Vanessa Paradis and Margot Robbie were two of few Hollywood stars to make it onto the show.
Sitting pretty: Margot sat with film director Sofia Coppola in pink and black striped tweed
VIP: Pharrell Williams was seen making his fashionable arrival at the Grand Palais earlier, dressed in a colourful cardigan and baggy jeans
A fashionable family: Pharrell and Rocket Ayer Williams arrived in New York with Helen Lasichanh, Helen’s son, and their daughter Helen.
Margot, a Hollywood actress, looked amazing in white tweed blazer with patent leather ankle boots.
Birds Of Prey’s star, who is slimmer than her frame suggests, wore an oversize boucle jacket and a dress with lace trim – only visible at the collar.
She wore a pair white, heeled stilettos to give her toned and tanned skin an extra boost.
Hot ticket: On a long, curving runway at the Grand Palais, industry professionals were masked and hosted by The Grand Palais.
Model of the moment: Tuesday’s show opened with Charlotte Casiraghi, the elder daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco, accomplished equestrian and one of Chanel’s most recent ambassador, cantering down the catwalk
Back in the Grand Palais: This time last year the brand was forced to go virtual for its Spring/Summer Haute Couture show
Style: Chanel’s Chanel runway show is now one of 16 that take place throughout the week. This follows eight runway shows in last season’s COVID season, severely restricting which fashion houses can stage public events.
This look was completed by the blonde bombshell, who carried a small handbag which although not practical for everyday use, added chicness to the ensemble.
Vanessa Paradis looked beautiful in an embellished floral top, and high-waisted black satin trousers.
Pharrell dressed in a colourful cardigan and baggy jeans, topped off with Chanel’s coveted mini round bag, which retails for upwards of £3k. He arrived with his designer-clad son Rocket Ayer Williams and his wife Helen Lasichanh.
Fashionable FROW. Anna Wintour was there to watch as Charlotte and her horse opened up the runway
The top fashion name in fashion: Anna arrived at Chanel’s signature Chanel wearing a mask, and her trademark sunglasses
After COVID 19, which shut down January’s PFW in January, the brand had to make the Spring/Summer Haute Couture show virtual. The global pandemic led to a sharp decline in high-end runway shows and the possibility for models from other countries to fly.
In 2019, Chanel attracted longtime friends Sofia Coppola and Normal People’s Daisy Edgar Jones to join the FROW.
The heyday of a-list models strutting down the runway is long gone though, with Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber last seen on a Chanel catwalk in early 2020.
Missing muses. Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber and other a-listers were last seen walking down the Chanel catwalk early in 2020.
Legs eleven! Kaia Gerber took the stage at the Villa Chanel in 2019, transforming the Grand Palais into the Villa Chanel. The fashion house’s COVID restrictions mean that it has reduced its elaborate sets over the last two years.
Keep this in mind? This is what the global pandemic means: a decline in extravagant runway shows and less ability of international models to travel.
It’s for the girls: Lagerfeld was famously known as his muses. This helped propel the likes Gerber and Kendall Jenner to stardom before his passing (Depp & Lagerfeld, pictured January 2017).
After Lagerfeld’s death, Virginie Viard has been named the Chanel creative director.
Lagerfeld is known for being a master of the muses. He helped to propel Gerber and Kendall Jenner up the charts, as well as Lily_Rose Depp, to stardom before his passing.
Lagerfeld was creative director for 36 years. His collaborations with models and A-listers included show staples such as his “Couture Brides” that shaped the runway shows. Stars were attracted to FROW by the Grand Palais’ spectacles and the well-known faces that graced the runway.
Viard was a Lagerfeld employee since 1987, before she rose to the top. Vogue described Viard in 2020 as ‘the most well-known fashion designer at Lagerfeld’.
In her previous position as Lagerfeld’s studio coordinator, Viard built up year-long friendships and collaborations with the craftspeople behind the Maisons d’Art, the characters behind the designs instead of the beauties who were dressed in them.
Chanel’s Chanel runway show is now one of sixteen live runways that take place throughout the week. This follows eight runway shows in last season. COVID has severely restricted which fashion houses can stage public events.
This year, seven more houses will present physical and/or video demonstrations to editors and clients. Six additional digital displays will also be staged.
New approach: Virginie Viard is the new creative director for Chanel, taking over from Lagerfeld following his death February 2019, and has favoured to focus on the fashion rather than the spectacle
Stunning: Viard sent models down the sweeping runway in draped silks in Chanel’s signature black and white palette
This is the bride: Every Chanel Haute Couture show’s finale features a Chanel bride. Lagerfeld used to employ ‘it girls’ models such as Kendall Jenner and Claudia Schiffer in order to end the show.
Grand Palais: Chanel’s preferred venue, Grand Palais featured large geometrical shapes and had a curving runway
Taking their bows. At the closing of the runway, Charlotte Casiraghi walked in the company of Virginie Viard (Channel’s creative Director) and Xavier Veilhan (Channel’s filmmaker), who made a video about Charlotte.