PARIS – Karl Lagerfeld did not come out for a bow at the two Chanel couture shows this morning at the Grand Palais in Paris. His longtime right hand, studio director Virginie Viard, emerged from a hidden door of the Italian villa set to acknowledge the crowd as the final exit, a bride in a sparkly swimsuit, completed her round of the lavish set. “For the traditional greeting at the end of the show, Mr. Lagerfeld, artistic director of Chanel, who was feeling tired, asked Virginie Viard, director of the creative studio of the house, to represent him and greet the guests alongside the bride,” Chanel said in a statement. “Virginie Viard as creative studio director and Eric Pfrunder as Chanel’s director of image continue to work with him and follow through with the brand’s collections and image campaigns,” the houses added. At the conclusion of the first display, held at 10 a.m., an announcer had initially said the designer would appear at the second show, scheduled for noon. Another message followed after the second show. “We wish Mr. Lagerfeld to recover quickly,” the announcer said, without providing details. For his spring couture collection for Chanel, Lagerfeld referenced the 18th century, which informed the colors and floral decorations of boat-neck tweed suits and delicate cocktail and evening dresses. In recent seasons, Lagerfeld has taken his bow alongside Viard on several occasions.<doc-sep>We've seen many Chanel Couture brides on the runway that made us weak at the knees. (Lily-Rose Depp stunned in a pink wedding dress for Spring 2017, and we were smitten by the white feathered tuxedo from 2018.) But enter the swimwear bride, a glamour queen in a silver cutout monokini with sequins and a matching cap affixed to a floor-sweeping glitter veil. Whoa. Model Vittoria Ceretti impressed in the finale look, standing confidently in shimmering mules. But if that's not enough to make you stare wide-eyed at the Spring 2019 Haute Couture runway, which was transformed into a Mediterranean garden at the Grand Palais in Paris, perhaps the celebrity-filled front row will make you do a double take; that, or Kaia Gerber in a pink appliquéd midi with wispy gray feathers to boot. Read on to see all the highlights from the latest show, and join us in imagining a wedding that takes place on the beach with one villa nearby for changing into a miraculous designer one-piece, no gown necessary.<doc-sep>For fashion's big spenders it's one of the most unmissable weeks of the year. And Couture Fashion Week, which kicked off on Monday in Paris, has seen exquisite looks both on and off the catwalk. One of the most anticipated shows of the season was (as ever) the Chanel SS19 Haute Couture show. With a catwalk designed to look like a dreamy French villa, stars including Kristen Stewart, Pharrell, Tessa Thompson and Marion Cotillard showed up to watch models sporting embellished gowns and embellished swimsuits. Chanel Haute Couture SS19 1 /47 Chanel Haute Couture SS19 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Chanel ABFR / SplashNews.com Sadly the big star of the event, Karl Lagerfeld, was unable to take a bow after the show - as he usually does - with Chanel revealing in a statement that he was “feeling tired”. (He was represented by Virginie Viard, the director of Chanel's creative studio, who appeared at the end of the show.) Dior’s circus-themed show also attracted the likes of Karlie Kloss and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan, who both dressed in stunning semi-sheer gowns. The Evening Standard's Fashion Editor Karen Dacre reported from the spectacle, which came complete with acrobats and a massive big top tent. People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Dior Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 1 /45 Dior Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 AFP/Getty Images Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Dior Spring/Summer 2019 Getty Images Iris Van Herpen's show also included breathtaking sculptural creations that quickly went viral on Twitter. Celebrities including Uma Thurman and Celine Dion hit Giorgio Armani’s presentation, while the likes of Coco Rocha, Kate Graham and Pixie Lott went to Schiaparelli. Kate Beckinsale also turned heads at Giambattista Valli in a stunning mini dress from the brand’s SS18 couture collection. Karlie Kloss / AFP/Getty Images Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture will run until January 24th, with a number of fashion houses preparing to show their work. Later today there'll be showings from Valentino, Balmain and Chinese designer Guo Pei.<doc-sep>
The label's iconic creative director was noticeably absent from the Spring/Summer 2019 Haute Couture shows where his muse Kaia Gerber commanded the runway Karl Lagerfeld, 85, Skipped Chanel's Couture Show in Paris Because He Was 'Feeling Tired' There was one very important person missing from Chanel’s two shows at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week: the label’s longtime creative director, Karl Lagerfeld. The 85-year-old fashion icon was expected to take a bow at the end of his Mediterranean style-show, but was noticeably absent as his longtime right-hand collaborator, studio director Virginie Viard, waved to the crowd instead. “For the traditional greeting at the end of the show, Mr. Lagerfeld, artistic director of Chanel, who was feeling tired, asked Virginie Viard, director of the creative studio of the house, to represent him and greet the guests alongside the bride,” Chanel said in a statement to WWD. Chanel : Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017-2018 Credit: Peter White/Getty “Virginie Viard as creative studio director and Eric Pfrunder as Chanel’s director of image continue to work with him and follow through with the brand’s collections and image campaigns,” the house added. Looking for more style content? Click here to subscribe to the PeopleStyle Newsletter for amazing shopping discounts, can’t-live-without beauty products and more On several occasions during recent Chanel showings, Lagerfeld has taken his final bow alongside Viard. Despite Lagerfeld’s absence, the show still went on without a hitch. Supermodel Kaia Gerber, 17, dominated the runway in a pink floral embellished off-the-shoulder confection, complete with over-the-top feathered mass on the sleeves and hips, a ’60s-inspired beehive hairdo with a matching floral barrettes, smudged smoky eye makeup and a bright red lip. Chanel show, Runway, Spring Summer 2019, Haute Couture Fashion Week, Paris, France - 22 Jan 2019 Credit: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock Gerber’s strut down the catwalk wasn’t the only memorable moment of the high fashion show. Italian model Vittoria Ceretti made a bold entrance as she channeled a retro bride in an intricately embellished silver one piece swimsuit, a matching embellished swim cap and a dramatic sparkly floor-length veil. Chanel show, Runway, Spring Summer 2019, Haute Couture Fashion Week, Paris, France - 22 Jan 2019 Credit: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock The 20-year-old model shared multiple photos from the runway and backstage following the show and thanked the label for selected her to embody the bride.