Chanel Spring 2020 - Runway Review

In an era where every entity is clearly defined as black or white, Virginie Viard treaded deep into the greyscale for her Spring 2020 Chanel collection. Set against a backdrop of recreated Parisian rooftops set under the soaring Grand Palais sky, Viard showcased a decidedly relaxed and less frenetic display that, in a move uncharacteristic of her predecessor Karl Lagerfeld, whispered luxury as the models strolled the zinc surfaces of the walkway (a reminder of the Nouvelle Vague). 

True to form, the collection was classic Chanel in every elegant way possible -- starting with the iconic tweedy, boucle, gold-chain-trimmed jacket. It came out elongated. Its shoulders were made broader. It was adorned in a myriad of ways. Viard seemed to mine the closets of her grandmother -- or that of Coco Chanel herself -- in creating "new vintage" that was leggy and focused on shorts. A long black skirt with a white blouse whose fabric swirled around the body like a camellia was fabulous, as was a red plaid jacket and matching skirt.