Daily Times

Louis Vuitton showcased on Tuesday a collection that mixed fashion inspirations, colours and patterns for the last show of the Paris Fashion Week.

Nicolas Ghesquière, the artistic director of Vuitton’s women’s collections, set the runway extravaganza in makeshift space inside a courtyard of the Louvre museum, with showbusiness power couple Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel in the front row as well as actors Jennifer Connelly and Justin Theroux.

The catwalk was dominated by bold prints, flared pants and three-piece suits evoking the fashion of the 1970s. A jacket layered over a lace dress and neon pants was another eye-catching look.

Set against a post-modern song of the transgender artist Sophie, whose music video was projected on a digital wall, models walked down the catwalk in midi dresses with puffy sleeves, floral art nouveau details and leather skirts.

Some models paraded with white bowler-like hats while most wore high-heeled loafers – with or without knee-socks – for a masculine touch associated with an assortment of bags, including a cassette tape clutch for a vintage mood. Louis Vuitton, LVMH’s biggest sales driver, emphasized his luggage trunk origins with a vanity monogrammed bag.

The catwalk for LV was dominated by bold prints, flared pants and three-piece suits evoking the fashion of the 1970s

“It was really beautiful, really original, with never-before seen clothes,” actress Catherine Deneuve told Reuters TV after the show.

Also, Chanel paraded its models along Paris’ emblematic grey zinc rooftops for its fashion show, in an atmospheric recreation of the city’s skyline complete with a brooding sky.

The French brand, known for its larger-than-life sets popularized under late designer Karl Lagerfeld, is one of the last major labels on display as Paris Fashion Week comes to a close, along with LVMH’s Louis Vuitton.

All eyes are on how Lagerfeld’s successor Virginie Viard, who worked behind the scenes for many years at Chanel, will mark her stamp on the brand, after several months in the job.

The latest ready-to-wear collection, for next spring and summer, was decidedly youthful, with cropped, playsuit versions of its famed tweed suits setting the tone and plenty of coral and red hues.

Kaia Gerber, the 18-year-old daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, wore a short, flared white skirt paired with an off-the-shoulder, “Brigitte Bardot-style” tulle top and a kooky mini cowboy hat.

The latest ready-to-wear collection by Chanel, for next spring and summer, was decidedly youthful, with cropped, playsuit versions of its famed tweed suits setting the tone and plenty of coral and red hues

Rapper Cardi B and actress Isabelle Adjani were among celebrity guests looking on, as models showed off silver hot pants and dresses with Chanel logo patterns.

Loyal Chanel clients, many of whom are invited to see the shows, had mixed views on its new designer’s efforts so far.

“What Virginie Viard is doing is fresh and feminine,” said one from Germany, adding she would happily don the shorts.

Another customer was less impressed, saying Chanel needed a creative chief with more of a ‘wow’ factor.

“It was a little ordinary. (Founder) Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld had strong personalities, that’s what this brand needs,” she said.

One spectator, all decked out in Chanel, caused a small commotion at the end of the catwalk show by joining the models taking a last lap around the set, under the bemused smiles of other guests.