Coco Lagerfeld

If I didn't know any better I would have thought Karl Lagerfeld's mind had been on holiday for the last two seasons. His last couple of collections for Chanel were undeniably innovative but one could hardly see any of Gabrielle Chanel's essence in them. For SS11 the Kaiser has changed that. He disobeyed last season's pas de noir rule, purposely avoided colour blocking and payed a visit to the house's archives. The collection wasn't fashion-forward, it was current —something very few people can achieve— and it combined traditional tweeds and camellia prints with modern materials from around the world. The absence of yeti attire called for a different type of extravagance, which came in the shape of outstanding workmanship very close to that of couture. Hair was substituted by feather embroidery and taken to the extreme on the apricot ostrich feather look worn by Karmen Kass.

Everything was framed by a modern take of a jardin français, which took over the Petit Palais, fountains included. Over 80 models strolled around the garden. Anja Rubik, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Freja Beha Erichsen were joined by Brad Koenig (son in hand), Baptiste Giabiconi and even Inès de la Fressange, who hadn't walked for Chanel in decades.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]