When Chanel throws a party, you know it’s a Chanel party. The French brand plans an event like Gwyneth Paltrow plans a gluten-free, meat-free, nightshade-free (yes, that’s a thing) menu: with precision and brand-awareness the likes of which most companies can only imagine. And everyone who comes to a Chanel party, of course, is totally on-message; after all, the red carpet-worthy attendees are generally that special type of It Girl who’s been endorsed by Karl Lagerfeld himself. At the company’s annual dinner to fete the Tribeca Film Festival last week, all the girls showed up carrying (you guessed it) a nearly endless amount of Chanel handbag eye candy.
In my head, if you show up at a Chanel party carrying anything else, Karl personally ushers you into the bathroom, strips you bare and completely re-dresses you in his designs on the fly, cursing at you in rapid-fire German the entire time. That’s probably not the case, but if you have personal knowledge of such things, don’t tell me. I’d like to end this day the way I began it: with my illusions intact. Oh, yes, and here’s all that Chanel loveliness that happened a few days ago. If you’re so inclined, you can shop vintage and pre-owned Chanel via Portero.
Of course we start with Leigh Lezark, the It Girl Patron Saint of Chanel Parties. She’s carrying one of the Chanel Lego Clutches, which retail for almost ten grand.
Naturally, someone had to carry the tiny version of the Chanel Hula Hoop Bag. Karl bestowed that honor on art director Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea.
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, daughter of former French Vogue editor (and all-around awesome fashion person) Carine Roitfeld, chose a discreet black Chanel clutch.
It Girl Elder Statesman Alexa Chung picked a petite Chanel Mini Crossbody Bag that fits in perfectly with her past handbag picks.
Harley Viera-Newton, she of the DJ/It Girl persuasion, chose a similar small black Chanel Flap Crossbody Bag.
Street style star and Italian Vogue editor Giovanna Battaglia chose a Chanel Quilted Clutch straight off the Spring 2013 runway.
Australian actress Radha Mitchell chose a mint Chanel Chevron Clutch to bring out the details in her Chanel bouclé frock.
Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka, the tiniest It Girl, carried a Chanel Mini Classic Flap Bag in bright pink.
Actress Ari Graynor sported a tiny, metallic-flecked Chanel Flap Bag.
French actress Julie Delpy went with a classic black Chanel shoulder bag with logo hardware.
It wouldn’t be a Chanel party without a model – Joan Smalls is too distractingly gorgeous for me to pay much mind to her black Chanel clutch.
And then, for good measure, another It Girl – this time, Atlanta de Cadenet with a sunshine-y yellow satin Chanel evening bag.
