Originally the answer to our own question was a firm “NO”, but on reflection, perhaps if that same lady had a raffia tote bag with fabric petals, sweet farmer’s daughter style pinafores and skirts that had a mixture of blue cornflowers, red poppies and ears of corn adorning it, then maybe she actually would.
This is after all the fashion house that inspired us to take up skiing when they brought out their chic black and white ski suits, to learn how to surf thanks to the interlocking Cs on the surfboards they created, and to save up for their monogrammed bicycle – when a car would have probably been a lot less expensive.
Our original hesitation was further silenced as straw-coloured tweed and linen skirts suits, cocktail dresses with bell shaped skirts, cardigans that had fabric flowers adorning the neckline, wide legged trousers paired with cropped jackets, fringed lawn dresses, flared satin mini skirts that were gathered at the waist and classic jackets with linen sleeves all appeared on models.
The models looked as though they themselves had been rolling around in the hay, and as a consequence were sporting very messy hairdos with remainders of straw and grass scattered throughout their locks.
Karl Lagerfeld explained that this collection was his tribute to the countryside where he grew up. He reasoned that his use of natural fabrics like linens, jute and raffia was done so as a way to show how “ecology can be chic”.
Lagerfeld’s muse Claudia Schiffer sat front row as another muse, Lily Allen, was the homecoming queen of the barn dance, performing her hit song ‘Not Fair’ amidst piles of hay.
Although there was a risk that the audience would think the idea of wearing the same studded clogs that the models sported was what was ‘not fair’, this was not the case, and loud applause broke out for what was another arc de triumph for Chanel.