It is only fitting that two of Paris's biggest hitters saved their shows until the very last day of Paris Fashion Week. Chanel and Louis Vuitton revealed their spring/summer 2023 collections on the same day and they were worth the wait.
At Chanel, creative director Virginie Viard looked to the 1960s film L’Année Dernière à Marienbad, that Chanel the house helped to restore to its full glory a few years ago.
Something of a classic, what the film lacks in dialogue it makes up for in breathtaking cinematography and clothes, many of which were created by Gabrielle Coco Chanel herself.
Using this as her starting point, Viard spun a collection that was sublimely Chanel — light and effortless. Easy, pyjama-cut trousers, fluid strapless trapeze dresses and simple tank tops worn with long, floor-grazing skirts arrived, in a palette of pale pistachio, light gold, cream and black.
Long, simple dresses swept past, totally unfussy save for dots of sparkle around the neckline, as lace was cut into an equally uncomplicated sheath. The simplicity of cut left all the focus on the details, such as tweed and black cloth shot through with sparkle, like the night sky.
Jewellery was restrained, worn as the occasional handful of necklaces, as the collection had almost no patterning, except for the looks scattered with film stills. These same images lined the entrance to the show space.
It was remarkable, restrained and totally Chanel. Coco would have been proud.
Louis Vuitton hits Louvre Paris
At Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, the show was held in a courtyard of Paris's Louvre Museum, in a set created by artist Philippe Parreno. Made of large red sails, that fanned out from a central point, it felt like a bizarre type of fairground, with mirrors that reflected the audience at itself.
Seemingly inspired by the sheer scale of Parreno's abstract flower “petals”, or vice versa, creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere played with sizing, sending out looks adorned with details exploded in scale.
The show opened with a look that had padded tubes around the neck and pads sitting on the hips. Next came short dresses printed with huge buckles and belts, while vast zip pulls, now the size of fans, hung from necks.
Models carried bag purses, now the size of an art school portfolio with scaled-up hardware to match, and buttons were the size of coasters, with real belts sat around the ribs like obis. It was remarkable, tough and almost aggressive, with leather, boxy external pockets and plenty of shiny hardware.
There were babydoll tops and dresses in leather, the latter with giant ribbons half threaded through the hem, as elsewhere dress hems were left half unzipped, and loose.
As the show ended, and the crowd started to leave, Janet Jackson hurried backstage, and make-up artist Pat McGrath and actress Lea Seydoux, a Vuitton ambassador, bearhugged one another. As a sign of the sheer visual impact of the show, we in the audience all felt like doing the same.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Scorebox
Dubai Hurricanes 31 Dubai Sports City Eagles 22
Hurricanes
Tries: Finck, Powell, Jordan, Roderick, Heathcote
Cons: Tredray 2, Powell
Eagles
Tries: O’Driscoll 2, Ives
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey
Sour%20Grapes
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Company%20Profile
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Scoreline:
Barcelona 2
Suarez 85', Messi 86'
Atletico Madrid 0
Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mountain%20Boy
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE FIXTURES
Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)
Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)
Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)
Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
