Chanel celebrates its place in French culture with spectacle at Paris Ritz

French culture minister joins music producer Pharrell Williams for show at newly reopened hotel marking fashion house’s French heritage

To glean the strategy behind Chanel’s no-expense-spared catwalk spectacular at the newly reopened Paris Ritz on Tuesday, look no further than the seating plan.

The brand’s president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, placed at his right hand the French culture minister Audrey Azoulay, who wore an elegant red and black jacket in Chanel’s distinctive boucle tweed. At the next table was music producer Pharrell Williams, winner of ten Grammy awards, and French-Cuban musical duo Ibeyi, made up of 19-year-old twins Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz.