Chanel heads to the woods with roomy tweeds and brogues

Is Karl Lagerfeld entering his woodcutter period? That the 84-year old designer has recently grown a rugged, some would say Jeremy Corbynesque beard might suggest as much. So, too, would the set for his catwalk show in Paris: a forest constructed within the cavernous arches of the Grand Palais, complete with nine towering oak trees imported from the Perche region of France.

With the smell of autumn in the air, and the floor ankle-deep with crunchy crimson leaves, it was all a lot more glamorous on Tuesday morning than your local woods. At one end of the Chanel equivalent of a park bench – the front row – sat Vanessa Paradis and Keira Knightley, resplendent in violet Chanel tweed. At the other, Lily Allen made enthusiastic small talk with Carla Bruni.

The clothes were considerably posher than the average dog-walking outfit, although there was an ease of movement – the first model strode down the catwalk wearing flat, shiny brogues with her hands thrust deep into the pockets of her long black coat – which suggested fashion that had been designed for walking in, comfortably.

The models’ hair was piled on top of the head, a relaxed brunch-date style that also showed off the spectacular earrings. There were black padded jackets, and white versions trimmed with black, like a hybrid of the Uniqlo padded coat seen on high streets everywhere, and the classic Chanel bouclé jacket.

Source: theguardian