CHANEL READY-to-wear shows in the Grand Palais in Paris flush out thousands of the city's most gilded women on a twice-yearly pilgrimage for a grandstand view of themselves and the new season's sartorial offerings. Yesterday was no exception.
The setting for the spring/summer collection was a 35ft high life-size replica of the empire's flagship store and headquarters at 31 Rue Cambon from whose central doors the models made their entrance and exits to the deafening soundtrack of Our Houseby Madness.
This was another lovely, far-ranging collection from Karl Lagerfeld, who injected with his customary ease a fresh breath of air, humour and a new graphic geometry to the iconic items with which Chanel will forever be associated - the long cardigan jackets, the tweed suits, the sweet and sexy evening wear, indeed the sort of ensembles in which many of the audience were attired.
There were chic city suits in black-and-white lattice prints with jackets that flattered, either belted at the bust empire-style or with crossover or cowl necklines. White dresses criss-crossed with black patent netting looked cool and modern and, styled with sheer black stockings, leggings and see-through stilettos, caught the current vogue for transparency and the style of the street.
Despite some over elaborate ruffled dresses in pink and purple metallic silks - discordant notes in an otherwise stellar line up - the show delivered some of the most feminine evening wear of the week. Cloudy chiffon dresses in shades of smoke or black with see-through bodices were simple and romantic and a white pleated shirt with billowing sleeves flaring over a long black skirt hung with ropes of black and silver was quintessential Chanel.
Whether they were a homage to Yves St Laurent's Algerian roots or not, the zouave pants (called by some dropped crotch or droopy drawers) in Stefano Pilati's sophisticated collection for YSL worked because of the fluidity and softness of the fabrics and almost military precision of the jackets.
If the essence of French elegance is about the balance of romance and restraint, Pilati is getting it right, even to the styling of the hair, this time swept up into high chignons. Among the close-cut shirt dresses and jumpsuits in cool city colours, standout coats included one in an open-grid black patent, a motif that recurred in belts, on stiletto heels and boots and one bound to be widely copied.