Chanel Paris Fashion Week show goes on despite rise in Covid-19 cases

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Fashionistas flocked to the Chanel Paris Fashion Week show today despite a recent rise in Covid-19 cases that has seen tighter restrictions introduced across the city.

French actress Marion Cotillard and Johnny Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, led the glamour as the style set gathered to watch the Hollywood-inspired showcase beneath the domed glass roof of the Grand Palais. 

Guests, all wearing face coverings, perched on stools placed farther apart than the shoulder-to-shoulder spacing typically seen on the front row of major fashion shows. Reuters reports that the show was socially-distanced, however the attendees looked to be in the hundreds.

It comes after French authorities placed the Paris region on maximum virus alert following a rapid increase in the number of infections. From today, all bars will be closed and restaurants are only allowed to remain open if they adhere to the ‘rule of six’, close at 10pm and maintain 3ft social distancing between guests.  

Rules still allow for a maximum of 1,000 guests to gather at major events taking place this week, including Paris Fashion Week and the French Open. It is not known how many people attended the Chanel show.  

Paris police prefect Didier Lallement announced the new restrictions would apply at least for the next two weeks.

Video: Paris fashion special: Checking out the new Coco Chanel exhibition and Fashion Week (France 24)

Paris fashion special: Checking out the new Coco Chanel exhibition and Fashion Week

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‘We are continuously adapting to the reality of the virus. We are taking measures to slow down (its spread),’ he said.

French authorities consider bars to be major infection hot spots because patrons don’t respect social distancing rules as much as they do at restaurants.

Starting on Tuesday, bars will be closed in Paris and its suburbs. Student parties and all other festive and family events in establishments open to the public will be banned. 

Restaurants will remain open under strict conditions. They include a minimum one-meter (three-foot) distance between each table, groups limited to six people instead of 10 previously, and a request to register customers’ names and phone numbers to help alert those who may have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus . 

© Provided by Daily Mail
It comes after French authorities placed the Paris region on maximum virus alert following a rapid increase in the number of infections. Pictured, models walk the catwalk






© Provided by Daily Mail
From today, all bars will be closed and restaurants are only allowed to remain open if they adhere to the ‘rule of six’, close at 10pm and maintain 3ft social distancing between guests. Pictured, models wear the new collection as they walk the catwalk together

Indoor sport facilities, including swimming pools, will only be open to children aged under 18. Gyms are already closed. Cinemas, theaters and museums will remain open with strict sanitary rules. 

The director of the Regional Health Authority, Aurelien Rousseau, said about 3,500 new cases of infection are confirmed on average each day in the Paris region, and 36 per cent of ICU beds in the area are occupied by COVID-19 patients.   

Chanel’s latest outing showcased inspiration drawn from Hollywood’s 1950s heyday – with a French touch.

A short film released before the show paid tribute to actresses such as Jeanne Moreau and Romy Schneider who caught the eye of American directors but also starred in French classics at the time.

Looks included off-the-shoulder evening gowns and feathered black-and-white dresses, while designer Virginie Viard – who took over last year from the late Karl Lagerfeld – brought out new twists on Chanel’s classic tweed suits.

Models wore tweed jackets over silky shorts, while shift dresses included trompe l’oeil details such as pockets on the back. The collection also featured dashes of bubblegum pink and logo-heavy pyjama style tops. 

Chanel would normally invite its clients from around the world to attend catwalk shows, though many were absent due to travel restrictions linked to the pandemic.

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