Excess and decadence in abundance at Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel extravaganza WHEN Bonnie Prince Charlie visited Linlithgow Palace in September 1745 it is said that its famous fountain was made to flow with wine in his honour. Chanel's Métier d'Arts annual fashion show, hosted this year at the 15th century palace, surely rivalled that night in excess and decadence. The couture collection was a celebration of a very Scottish aesthetic, and made repeated reference to Mary Queen of Scots, who was born in the historic palace. With the light fading, around 300 guests left the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh at 4:30pm on Tuesday in a fleet of cars clutching invitations featuring an illustration of Linlithgow Palace by Chanel's creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Rumoured guests Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did not make an appearance, but fashion's A-list were out in force, with editors flown in from all over the world. They were met with hot whisky and ginger cocktails served in the palace's spectacular courtyard, with crackling braziers lighting the way. Specially made Chanel tartan blankets were supplied to keep everyone cosy and the show opened, aptly, with Scottish supermodel Stella Tennant in a tartan-lined tweed coat. What followed was a very chic take on all things Scottish, from branded sporrans to chain mail hip flasks. Models wore tweed kilts, argyle socks and tammy hats trimmed with Chanel's signature gold chain. Even the evening dresses featured embellished kilt straps. With mannish tweeds and layers of Fair Isle knits, heavy references were made to Coco Chanel's own love affair with Scotland. She had a relationship with the Duke of Westminster - then one of the wealthiest men in Europe - in the late 1920s and joined him on his Sutherland estate, Rosehall, for three consecutive summers. On the 100,000-acre estate she fished for salmon with the Duke and, among others, Winston Churchill. She borrowed her lover's tweeds and woollens and made them her own, and the masculine garments were to heavily influence her designs. The 15th century palace is the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots and James V and was one of the principal residences of Scotland's monarchs in the 15th and 16th centuries. No surprise then that Scotland's most famous female monarch was a strong inspiration, but with a distinctly modern twist. Enormous ruffs were made of feathers while jewelled bodices had a distinctly medieval feel. After the show guests were taken to specially constructed tents for a dinner hosted by Karl Lagerfeld. The flamboyant designer has an on-going fascination with Scotland's heritage and has worn a floor-length kilt on the catwalk in the past. Ahead of the show he said he "was inspired by the rich heritage of Chanel in Scotland, and the craftsmanship of Scottish tweed and cashmere, that are an integral and iconic part of Chanel's collections" adding that he had been swotting up on Scottish history because he likes "to arrive informed." Since 2002 Chanel has hosted its Metier d'Arts show - which celebrates the skills of their craftsmen and seamstresses - every year, with each show paying homage to a country which influenced Coco Chanel. Previous shows have been inspired by Bombay, Moscow and Monte Carlo. This year, the show, entitled Paris-Edimbourg held a special significance because of Chanel's recent acquisition of Hawick cashmere mill Barrie. Since 2002, Chanel has purchased a number of small artisan suppliers to safeguard their future. These include companies devoted to everything from buttons to feathers, all of which operate independently and still supply multiple fashion houses including Chanel.