Thanks to Karl Lagerfeld’s penchant for destination runways—St. Tropez, Versailles, Shanghai—Chanel’s Métier d’Arts show, a lavish pre-fall catwalk romp that champions the ateliers owned by the house, like glove-maker Causse, embroidery house Maison Lesage, and milliner Maison Michel, will be staged in Scotland this season. At a grand fifteenth-century castle famed for housing the likes of Mary, Queen of Scots, no less. It’s no coincidence that Chanel chose to debut their pre-fall looks at Linlithgow Palace in West Lothian after acquiring the Scottish cashmere brand, Barrie Knitwear, which has worked with Chanel for over two decades.
According to the Telegraph, Chanel has started putting up tents and prepping the medieval fortress for the fashion set, although it’s rumored that the show itself, scheduled for December 4, will take place in the palace courtyard. As if the regal locale weren’t enough, the house has reportedly commissioned a custom-made glass roof to protect editors from the infamous Lowland cold.
While this marks Chanel’s first Scottish runway excursion, Mme. Chanel had a long relationship with the Highlands. In the twenties, they served as her favorite spot to canoodle with her lover, the Duke of Westminster, who owned a mansion in Rosehall. It was there that she famously dressed up in the duke’s fishing clothes and posed for a photo with her pal and business partner, Vera Bate Lombardi (above). This summer, it was announced that their country escape would be converted into a hotel after the completion of a £6 million renovation. It’s doubtful that Karl will pay a visit to Coco’s old stomping ground, but here’s hoping he’ll break out his famed full-length tartan kilt for the runway festivities.
—Katharine K. Zarrella
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