Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2011

Design genius Karl Lagerfeld and the Chanel team never seem to run out of fresh ideas for their Paris haute couture shows. Over the years, I’ve seen Chanel models stride across a floating runway in a swimming pool; a brass band pop out from behind a partition; and Cat Power rocking the runway.

To showcase the Chanel haute couture fall 2011 collection, the Grand Palais turned into the landmark Place Vendome by night with its July show beginning at 10:00 p.m. and the iron-framed art nouveau structure lit inside by twinkling stars and old-fashioned street lamps.

Elle Fanning of “Super 8,” Diane Kruger of “Inglorious Basterds,” Joshua Jackson of “Fringe,” Astrid Berges-Frisbey of the latest “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, TV host Alexa Chung and fashion icon Daphne Guinness lined the room.

Milla Jovovich of “Resident Evil” kept busy taking pictures, (as seen left,) as she sat on her husband Paul WS Anderson’s lap. (He’s the director/ writer/ producer of “Resident Evil: Afterlife” and other films.) And there from California were Susan and Alan Casden, Christine Suppes, Cameron Silver, Jennifer Smith Hale, Danielle Steel and Steel’s daughters Victoria and Vanessa Traina.

At the finale, models descended the stairs from all sides of the darkened Grand Palais, the only light coming from their battery-operated shoes.

Photo: Milla Jovovich takes a snapshot of the Chanel haute couture fashions; to her right, in sunglasses: former First Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac. 

More photos from the Chanel haute couture fall 2011 show are in the gallery below. 

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[View as Slide Show]    |   [Click to Enlarge Pictures]

Astrid Berges-Frisbey of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" was among the many celebrities, dignitaries and fashion connoisseurs at the Chanel show

Jeanne Beker of Canada's Fashion Television interviewed Ashley Dawson-Damer, in Paris from Australia

That's me with my invitation; the pearls, agate and jet beads come from a prior Chanel couture collection

Christine Suppes, here with photographer Frederic Aranda, supported the recent Balenciaga exhibition at San Francisco's de Young Museum

Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria, left, with Barbara de Portago, president of the Versailles Foundation

(L to R) Gillian Fuller of New York and Patricia Rossignol of Florida

Susan and Alan Casden of Los Angeles

Annette Friedland of Philadelphia

Here's Cameron Silver of the fabulous "Decades" vintage boutique in Los Angeles

If you look closely, you'll see Anna Wintour in white, behind the models and to the right

 

Quite a line-up: (L to R, with a few missing names) Tatiana Santo Domingo, photographer Mario Testino, Elle Fanning, Diana Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Alexa Chung, Italian model Elisa Sednaoui

Danielle Steel, best-selling author alive, having sold 800 million books, and according to Forbes, the 2nd most powerful woman author, surpassed only by Harry Potter's JK Rowling

 

That's world-renowned architect Peter Marino in motorcycle gear; he designed the Chanel Tower in Tokyo and Chanel boutiques in Paris, New York, Osaka, Hong Kong & Beverly Hills

View from my seat behind Daphne Guinness and her amazing, towering hairdo

The bride

When the lights went down, models in battery-operated shoes illuminated the Grand Palais

When the lights came up, the collection's brilliant designer Karl Lagerfeld took a leisurely stroll around the models

A gorgeous finale

Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2011

Published August 2011 – Ellen Olivier, Society News LA