Chanel's New Vintage: Anna Wintour and Alexa Chung Lead Applause for Karl Lagerfeld's Nostalgic Yet Modernised Couture in Paris

What do a supermodel and a 79-year-old former French first lady have in common? Chanel haute couture.

The unlikely pairing of Laetitita Casta and Bernadette Chirac in the audience of Karl Lagerfeld's fall/winter 2013 show last night played testament to the enduring and widespread appeal of this 100-year-old heritage brand. 

The Chanel show is one of the most hotly anticipated events of Paris Couture Week and this time round kaiser Karl was sure to impress with his New Vintage-themed show.

Lagerfeld, who has designed for the label since 1983, proved that he is still at the top of his game, presenting a show that referenced the company's fashion archive, but gave it a modern twist. 

Guests included the legendary Anna Wintour, a close friend of the designer, fashionista and presenter Alexa Chung, actress Diane Kruger, as well as Sofia Coppola, Clemence Poesy and Milla Jovovich.

The show featured shimmering silk tweed skirt suits, ensembles from the 50s and 60s, and a 30s bolero jacket parading down the catwalk, adorned with vintage sketches of Coco Chanel's lavish house interior.

Other outfits sparkled with a contemporary metallic sheen.

While one might imagine that the designer had exhausted all possibilities with the label's signature black and white, he delivered yet another fresh take, paying tribute to a bygone era and resurrecting the 1980s with a series of ensembles in big, bold textured checks in black, grey and white channelled with the decade's strong shoulders and narrow line.

Other ensembles dazzled with pink tulle fringing which recreated a dropped waist effect from the 1920s. 

Haute couture is a label's opportunity to show its most elaborate work, and Chanel had clearly been keeping its artisan ateliers busy.

Delightful double-breasted A-lines, a Peter Pan collar and ensembles in pale pink and white that might have come straight out of Jacqueline Kennedy's early 60s wardrobe graced the catwalk.

In true couture style, the best was saved til last. 

The boldest looks came toward the end: Lagerfeld let his pony-tailed hair down in a shimmering electric blue dress that could have been Coco's answer to 1970s glam rock.

'Ravishing,' said Chirac.

'It's French perfectionism,' said Casta.

It was a varied collection for what Lagerfeld backstage called his 'diverse' couture clientele - including wealthy women from the Middle East to Brazil, Russia to Asia.

But the clothes all had one thing in common: rich couture craftsmanship.

'It's hard for the seamstresses,' said Lagerfeld. 'They toil over the clothes. The tulle with pearl took 3,000 hours. Couture is for a world of privilege.'

There's been a certain nostalgia in the air of late. Christian Dior, too, on Monday, went back to the vault to revamp 1950s silhouettes.

New Vintage was a typical contradiction in a constantly moving fashion world. But is there ever time for looking back? Not really, according to Lagerfeld.

'In fashion now, vintage means six months,' he said.

(Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2168168/Chanel-Anna-Wintour-Alexa-Chung-Karl-Lagerfelds-nostalgic-modernised-Paris-couture-show.html)

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