Steve Barth
Virginie Viard, the current successor of Coco Chanel, staged a chic and sophisticated haute couture collection for the famed Paris house. Artist Xavier Veilhan created giant animals made of plywood and cardboard, including Trojan horses, elephants, lions, mice, bulls and various mythological creatures, which were included in the catwalk. The show opened with drum majorettes dressed in flirting, pleated short skirts cut well up the thigh and paired with new Chanel jackets that ended at the waistline, as well as tweed bouclé tunics and coat dresses embroidered with images of Scotch Terriers and Labradors. Models wore circus master top hats, and the evening included elegant metallic houndstooth cocktails flared from the waist down, black semi-sheer lace ruffled dresses or puckered chiffon dresses, and lace dresses with halter necks made of golden thread deer heads and antlers. The show was set to a mix of rave party music, and the audience included celebrities such as Roger Federer, Baz Luhrmann, and Rossy de Palma. The finale was Anna Ewers, dressed in a mid-thigh dress, veil covered in white doves, and gold leather boots. Virginie Viard wanted to create a sense of fun and physical liberty with the collection, and the show was a success.
