By Mimosa Spencer
PARIS (Reuters) – Chanel designer Virginie Viard sent models down a boardwalk runway evoking the French seaside resort town Deauville, parading tailored suits in tweed, long overcoats and broad sun hats.
The show kicked off with a short film starring Penelope Cruz and Brad Pitt – a nod to Claude Lelouch’s 1966 romantic drama “A Man and a Woman.”
The pair stroll along an empty beach, order steaks and red wine in a restaurant — the scenes featuring shots of a prominently-placed Chanel handbag — and the vignette closes with Cruz’s character calling to the waitress, played by model Rianne Van Rompaey:
“Excuse me – sorry, do you have any rooms available?”
The audience burst into applause, and the first model marched out in a mini-skirt, thigh-high boots and long overcoat, her face framed by a wide hat, her handbag swinging.
A series of tweed ensembles followed, with wide-legged trousers and split skirts, as well as handbags of all shapes and sizes.
Adding a contemporary flair, the designer included a short puffer jacket, shearling coats and a shiny black leather jumpsuit in the lineup.
After the show, exiting guests clogged the sidewalk as street photographers angled for shots of their outfits.
Like Deauville in the early 20th century, where house founder Gabrielle Chanel first sold clothing, Chanel shows are “a place to see and be seen,” said Beka Gvishiani, known for the Instagram account @stylenotcom.
Paris Fashion Week, where some of the world’s biggest brands like LVMH’s Dior, Hermes and Kering’s Saint Laurent host shows aimed at generating buzz around their new collections, winds up Tuesday.
(Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Ros Russell)
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