For every editor who’s ever complained that there’s just no time to eat during Fashion Week, Karl Lagerfeld’s Fall 2015 Chanel seemed to offer a brilliant solution. When guests stepped into the Grande Palais today to see the designer’s spectacle unveiled for the new collection, they were treated to Chanel’s very own Brasserie. In place of the “front row”, Karl ushered showgoers into booths and tables. And, to complete the transformation from runway show to restaurant, there were even waiters behind the bar, pouring drinks and polishing glasses while Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne chatted as if they weren’t working at all, but catching up over an espresso.
It’s a collection with Parisian appeal, through and through – and not just because of the elaborate set. This season, Karl delivers classic Chanel with ladies-who-lunch pencil skirts, plaids, tweeds, and most noticeably via Coco’s signature cap-toe slingback shoes, a first for Lagerfeld. Could it be the fashion crowd will be clamoring for a sensible shoe next season? It’s certainly a favorable alternative to hairy slippers. But for the girl craving a little more drama, Lagerfeld has tiered fringe, ruffles, dresses over pants, and layers and layers of jewelry to top it all off. Of course, it’s all delivered in perfect balance – nothing over-the-top or extreme, just like the French girls we always envy.
