Paris haute couture week 2011: Alexa Chung and Vanessa Paradis at Chanel

Add to My Stories 'Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury,' Coco Chanel once said. So it probably explains why Karl Lagerfeld chose to dress all the models in flat shoes for the Chanel haute couture show in Paris today.Even the star-studded front row, which included Chanel regulars Alexa Chung and Vanessa Paradis, had dressed the part.Paradis chose a simple ensemble of a white T-shirt, jeans and work boots to go with her tailored jacket and bright red Chanel bag.

Karl's girls: A casually-dressed Vanessa Paradis, who models Chanel's Coco Rouge lipstick line, and Alexa Chung, whose look appeared to be a tribute to Lagerfeld himself Also among the guests were actresses Diane Kruger and Kirsten Dunst, who looked polished in a ladylike dress and bright red lipstick.

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Kruger wore an embellished dress with towering strappy sandals - very Chanel, but a far cry from the looks on the catwalk.
Backon the runway, black patent pointy-toed slip-ons and satin shoe-boots were the order of the day, lending an ingenuity to the models' floaty, ethereal creations in a barely-there palette of pastel pinks and silvery greys.

Chanel regulars: Actresses Diane Kruger and Kirsten Dunst, looked polished in ladylike dresses
The show was closed by 46-year-old model Kristen McMenamy as a bride (couture shows always traditionally have a bridal gown by way of finale).Itwas no coincidence that she is m! ost famo us for her long, silver-grey hair, in keeping with Lagerfeld's colour scheme - not that much of it was visible, all the girls wore their hair in loose up-dos with side partings.As well as the ravishing embellishment that is such a key part of any haute couture collection, bows were a key feature.

Grand finale: Model Kristen McMenamy (left), in a bridal gown, closes the Chanel haute couture show in Paris today, which featured ethereal creations in a palette of the palest pinks

Limited palette: The use of black accents reflected the French fashion house's signature colour scheme

They appeared on loose sashes on drop-waisted skirts, and neat embellished bands to decorate a bustline.The use of black accents, such as the ribbon chokers, worn high on the neck by all the models, made reference to the French fashion house's signature palette of black and cream, though the light-as-air fabrics in the palest of pink gave it a fresh, modern twist.Each piece was embellished with thousands of tiny crystals, sequins, and feathers - the result of hours of handiwork of the six ateliers purchased by Chanel in 2009 in order toprotect the rare skills of the artisans that work there.

Embellishment: Many pieces were covered in thousands of tiny crystals and sequins - the handiwork of the six ateliers purchased by Chanel in 2009 to protect the rare skills of the artisans that work there

Feminine: Ethereal drop-waisted dresses and cascading ruffles were the order of the day

In an interview today, Mr Lagerfeld admitted that he is never satisfied with his work.'Maybe I could do better,' he told the Telegraph.'I'm never pleased with myself. I always think I'm lazy and that I could do better. Time passes so quickly. For me to sit and sketch quietly on my own is a luxury.'He was reluctant to reveal his current reading material, for fear it would give him too intellectual an image.

Applause: Lagerfeld, pictured with McMenamy on his arm, takes his bow at the end of the show'Most of the books I read are too pretentious to talk about. I don't want an intellectual image. I am a fashion person.'Dressed in navy, rather than his signature black, he explained: Its better on TV than black - it might be the reflection, I dont know.
'Fashion is about change for me as well.