Outside the rain was coming down, but once inside the Grand Palais, I heard a crunching sound from below my feet. I looked down and noticed a path of granular sand leading the way to the Chanel Cruise 2018 show. Bright artificial lights had guests shielding their eyes from the surprise contrast of gray to white light. Karl Lagerfeld had transported us to his ideal Greece. “Reality is of no interest to me. I use what I like,” he stated. This was a landscape – and as I would soon see, a collection – woven from history books and dreams.
Chanel Resort 2018. Courtesy of Chanel
I took my seat directly across from a life-sized olive tree rooted in a “rock” scattered with rosemary, and noted how it poetically heralded the entrance to a set strewn with Greek ruins against a Mediterranean Sea backdrop complete with crimson sunset. Paris’s dreadful weather was suddenly erased from the mind as guests settled into the colosseum-like seating. Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco arrived in a slender navy blue dress; she was followed by French actor Isabelle Huppert, Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, and British actor Keira Knightley, who arrived on the arm of her rocker husband, James Righton.
The Greek Antiquity-inspired decor inside the Grand Palais, Paris. Photo by Olivier Saillant, courtesy of Chanel
With ribbons in their hair and lace-up sandals on their feet, models entered the space in single file like nymphs. They were adorned in loose, fringed tweed coats; streamlined linen dresses with multi-colored stone embroidery; and crepe, jersey, and mousseline dresses. Tunics were printed with interlocking C crowns of golden leaves and tops, and skirts recalled Spartan dress. This was a collection that harked the physicality of antiquity. One where languid walks and play were facilitated by light materials and silhouettes that appeared to float on the body. Indeed, to move forward, one must always look back.
Chanel Cruise 2018. Courtesy of Chanel
Chanel Cruise 2018. Courtesy of Chanel.
After the show, guests filed downstairs to enjoy a spread of Greek delights, such as vine leaves and skewered meat. Karl Lagerfeld meandered through the crowd greeting friends while his godson, Hudson Kroenig, let go of his hand only to pose with editors vying for a selfie with him. On the terrace, protected from the continuous pattering of rain, moods were uplifted following a show that radiated such a calming elegance. Anxiously, a few people started looking at their watches. The French presidential debate would soon begin. Ah, if only the escape could last just a moment longer.
Karl Lagerfeld and Hudson Kroenig. Photo by Olivier Saillant. Courtesy of Chanel
