What You Need To Know About Chanel's Couture Set

July 4 is normally a day reserved for American celebrations of independence (or aggrandizement, depending on how you view it. Over in Washington, President Trump is firing Twitter missiles at North Korea). But in Paris, it’s Couture Week, as much a part of France’s national identity as the official public holiday across the pond. With that in mind, Brigitte Macron, the new president’s wife has been out and about attending shows and showing support. Meanwhile at Chanel, the French behemoth seized the opportunity to do some myth-making, transforming the Grand Palais into the archetypal Parisian park scene – complete with the skyline’s most famous tower. Here’s seven things to note from Chanel's Autumn/Winter 2017 Couture show.

The Eiffel Tower Has a New Home

Karl transplanted the Eiffel Tower, a monolith of the Parisian landscape, to the Grand Palais in typically bombastic fashion and rebranded it #ChanelTower. Guests were seated on a gravel runway, perched on chic iterations of the folding dark green metal chairs that litter the Jardin du Luxembourg.

The Show Invitation Had Cubist Leanings

Karl Lagerfeld chose the 1926 oil painting of La Tour Eiffel by Robert Delaunay for the show invitation, deeming it “a symbol of avant-garde modernity”. Chanel’s website drew attention to Roland Barthes’ observation in “The Eiffel Tower And Other Mythologies”, that Maupassant often lunched in the Eiffel Tower restaurant, even though he didn’t think much of the food, because it was the only place in Paris where he didn’t have to see it. "Whatever the season, through mist and cloud, on overcast days or in sunshine, in rain – wherever you are, whatever the landscape of roofs, domes, or branches separating you from it, the Tower is there," Barthes wrote.

French Model Camille Hurel Was First Out

The strong-browed Parisienne teenager slunk out in the number one slot on the catwalk. Having debuted on the Givenchy runway a couple of seasons ago, Hurel is now a firm favourite with French fashion houses and has already walked for Dior this Couture week. She closed the show in the bow-bedecked Bridal gown.

Every model wore a flat hat and large pearl earrings

Classic black gave way to chain-trimmed tweed, patent leather and jazzy sequin-embroidered styles, all worn with golf-ball-size pearl earrings.

The Return of The Twist

Classic twists ruled the runways, teased into delicate patisserie-style swirls by Sam McKnight and held in place with gallons of hairspray.

Patent Boots Offset Traditional Tweeds

Shelve the suede: models wore knee-high and ankle-length patent boots in black, cream and beige, adding an edge to the fripperies of razor-sliced tulle, feathers and tweed. Patent always looks slicker.

Kristen Stewart, Katy Perry and Julianne Moore sat front row

Kristen Stewart killed off the competition in a sequined catsuit – a big couture trend at the Spring 2018 shows this week. Always one step ahead of the game.