King Karl's fashion triumph at Linlithgow Palace

Fashion and Features Writer

Wednesday 5 December 2012

THE glamour of a Renaissance court was recreated by Chanel at historic Linlithgow Palace as the fashion house staged its first major catwalk show in Scotland.

MODEL NIGHT: Karl Lagerfeld with a model at the show in Linlithgow Palace. Picture: Mark Mainz

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Carrie McAdam

Aristocratic Scottish model Stella Tennant opened the show wearing a tartan wool overcoat and embellished grey knitwear.

The fashion brand's creative chief Karl Lagerfeld chose the ruin of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, to stage the annual Metiers d'Art show – which showcases the finest creations from Chanel-owned ateliers.

View two photo galleries of Chanel's big night at Linlithgow Palace Tessa Hartmann: my evening with Chanel The palace, built in the early-1500s, was decked out with fire pits and rustic wooden benches, from where the world's press watched the show. Guests were draped in tartan blankets to help stave off the evening chill. Before the show started, waiters in white lace-up shirts served goblets of champagne alongside venison sausage canapes, with atmospheric drum beats playing in the background. What unfolded next was Karl Lagerfeld's riff on Scottish heritage, featuring tartan, tweed and even miniature sporrans. Chanel's creative chief appeared to take his main inspiration from Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin and arch-nemesis Elizabeth I, with a show featuring feather and lace ruffs and high pleated and curled hairdos that wouldn't have looked out of place in either royal court. Included also were the finest cashmere creations by Barrie Knitwear, of Hawick – which was bought over by Chanel in October, securing 176 jobs. Homage was paid to Scotland's country heritage with some Highland-inspired boyish looks featuring ghillie hats, knickerbockers and tartan jumpers that looked like a high-fashion take on the classic golf jumper. Chanel's classic 2.55 handbag was reinterpreted in worn brown leather, looking as though it had been subjected to a few Scottish downpours. A few male models joined their female counterparts on the catwalk and were decked out in tartan-print knits and oversized scarves. Brad Koenig was accompanied by his infant son Hudson, with the little boy dressed in a black velvet jacket and cap. The highlight of the show was a sequence of white gowns, fabricated from wool, chiffon, feathers and lace, that billowed out behind the models as they walked. Together the models looked like a group of virgin brides from Elizabeth I's court. The show is one of the highlights of the fashion calendar and locations for previous events have included New York, Moscow and Shanghai. There had been whispers of an A-list celebrity guest list for the event – including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley – but none made it on the night. However, the show was attended by leading fashion journalists and it-girls including Poppy Delevingne, Caroline Sieber and Joana Preiss. Also there was Chanel's campaign face Cara Delevingne and top models such as Edie Campbell, Jamie Bochert and Saskia de Brauw. No expense was spared and no detail was overlooked on the night, with chauffeurs ferrying guests from Edinburgh to Linlithgow being told to spritz themselves with Chanel cologne. It was a right royal triumph, presided over by king of the night, Lagerfeld. Speaking after the show, Lagerfeld said: "I loved the location and the way the show was staged was exactly what I wanted. It was very interesting to use Linlithgow Palace for a show. I wanted the rough romance of this beautiful place." Asked about Scotland's influence in the fashion world, Lagerfeld replied: "Chanel came here, she discovered tweed here and the cashmere. Now we've bought Barrie. "Scottish patterns and tartans are all over the world, so there is a strong identity that everybody likes, uses and copies." A Scottish love affair Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was introduced to Scotland by the Duke of Westminster who was her lover between 1924 and 1931. He often took her to his numerous estates scattered around the Highlands.

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King Karl's fashion triumph at Linlithgow Palace

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