Chanel goes back to its roots with Brad and Penélope

Back to the roots at Chanel, with a sumptuous défilé and a hyper wearable collection presented in a giant cinemascope version of Deauville, the resort where founder Coco sold her first fashion collections.

Brad Pitt and Penélope Cruz opening the action in a vignette movie on screen, a black and white scene of them ordering dinner in a grand hotel in Deauville.
 
“Would you have any rooms available?” enquires Penélope with a lascivious smile of the waitress, played by Rianne van Rompaey, the Dutch model star who then opened the show on a dark boardwalk catwalk.

The cast circling a truly giant cylinder – 80 meters in diameter – on which was projected sunrise scenes of Deauville.
 
Rianne leading out in a four-pocket, splayed lapel coat that one could imagine Coco wearing. Paired with suede platform thigh-high boots with black toes, and a marvelous straw hat, the first of a score of big flipped back straw cloches in the show. And a cute reference to the fact that Mademoiselle Chanel began her fashion career as a milliner.
 

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Effectively, Chanel really began her fashion career during World War One, when the approach of German forces to Paris led to a giant exodus to Deauville, where she already had a hat store. And to dress the new arrivals, began creating new style jersey dresses and tops, liberating women in style and in their freedom of movement.
 
Her latest successor, Chanel’s creative director Virginie Viard echoed that revolution with some flawless jersey dresses, notably an excellent black version worn jauntily by Gigi Hadid. A series of natty cardigans with sailors’ collars also recalled those earliest Chanel looks, and the sense of fashion turning a historic chapter as Coco introduced a far easier and more chic style. 
 
Viard also offered new takes on the classic Chanel wool bouclé suit, finishing the jackets with Nehru collars, or pairing them with culottes. Before the look exploded with several great suits that looked almost made of gold leaf.
 
For blustering winter walks, a great quartet in brown shearling, including donkey jacket, full-length coat and several leather logo totes. And Viard played with lots of cool new leathers, from denim-hued leather cuffed trousers and gardeners jackets; to leather A-Line coats finished like bouclé and worn with flat caps.

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Pretty well every model in platforms, and most carrying smaller bags, with a less obvious CC logo buckle. 
 
Before images on the screen that blended seagulls flying across the Deauville strand, Brad and Penélope on romantic strolls and hats enlarged to 20-meters, the cast marched to Air’s classic track Sexy Boy.
 
“Chanel started with hats in Deauville, and with big ones. And they made for a great silhouette. And that gave the show a certain look, which I liked,” beamed Viard backstage, before being embraced by Charlotte Casiraghi, Inès de la Fressange and Cruz.
 
“I loved the collection, you are so clever and creative,” enthused the actor, attired in a classic black Chanel suit with white lace blouse. Standing amid a crowd of well-wishers post show celebrating a powerful collection and show presented with consummate professionalism by the house of Chanel inside the Grand Palais Ephemere. 

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A show movie beautifully filmed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Maturin and featuring a selection of Viard’s new favorite models: Vivienne Rohner, LuluTenney, Amelia Gray, Mahany Pery and Angelina Kendall.  As Viard gently introduces a subtle youth quake into Chanel, shaving a year or two each season off the clientele’s average age.
 
And, one could not help noticing, how the models kept on admiring each other’s looks, like they didn’t want to get out of the clothes. An acid test of a very successful collection.