S/ Was There: A Beautiful Goodbye to Karl Lagerfeld’s Final Collection for Chanel

On the morning of March 5th, CHANEL presented its Fall/Winter 2019-2020 collection in the Grand Palais, a place so dear to the House. The atmosphere transformed into a snow-covered wintry village, with mounds of faux snow and chic chalets. The show began with a moving homage to Karl Lagerfeld as his words filled the dome. Before debuting the designers’ final designs, friends, media, and attendees took a moment of silence in respect and honour for the late Mr. Lagerfeld. Silhouettes from the collection were warmed with palettes of winter white, beige, and navy blue with flashes of emerald green, fuchsia, and purple puffers. Frosted signature tweed jackets were paired with urban ski suits and bags that matched the tone of the season.

The front row was filled with A-list CHANEL ambassadors including its long time muses Naomi Campbell, Kristen Stewart, Janelle Monáe, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Schiffer, and Karen Elson. The runway also featured a parade of Lagerfeld’s inner circle, led by actress Penélope Cruz holding a single white flower wearing feathery “snow-ball” skirts, followed by Adut Akech, Luna Bijl, and Kaia Gerber. An emotional finale took place to the soundtrack of David Bowie’s Heroes, fronted by Cara Delevigne and Mariacaria Boscono as the audience stood in gratitude, wiping tears and applauding Lagerfeld’s final collection.