Chanel is without a designer at the moment and the rumor mill is in overdrive. Talk of Jacquemus, Pieter Mulier or Thom Browne as reported by Puck News seem nonsense to ACHTUNG. If we had our vote – it should be a female designer in a year when America might elect its first woman. Or here is a fun idea. Ask Miuccia Prada to sub for a season or two? It would be the ultimate collab flying out of stores, harming nobody and simply fun. Isn’t Prada the modern-day Gabrielle anyway? Hedi Slimane’s departure at Celine smells like he is sitting out his non-compete clause (as did Sarah Burton) though. Without a designer but back in its home at the Grand Palais was the news of the day and the company showed great taste and judgement by leaving one of the most beautiful exhibition halls in the world undecorated and letting its beauty like the original color faded pink floors shine. Chanel funded the renovation, and the entry gate is now called Gabrielle Chanel. It was breath-taking and even the sun came through the glass dome in a rain filled Paris season. And then? What the press notes called Creation Studio delivered a perfectly rendered classics collection without risk but great energy and panache on the most beautiful models working now with lots of feathers and tweed galore. To underline how big Chanel is the company invited more than 2000 guests and sent out 80 models who were on the catwalk for more than four minutes. Talk about making a statement. Vittoria Ceretti opened the show in a classic pantsuit with a split skirt and double-breasted jacket in black with stripes and two-tone platform derbies to make clear that this was about a rendering of classics. It was closed by a floor length white shirt dress with black bow trimmed with lots of white feathers for a regal end.

Why did it work?