Chanel 2009 Resort, South Beach pre-show

The town is crawling with everything and everyone Chanel as they get ready for Chanel’s resort presentation tonight around the pool at The Raleigh hotel (I was a bit blue to hear it was going to be a pool, I was hoping for a show on boats in shark infested waters. And Don Johnson!). Every elevator is full of impossibly chic Paris girls in oversized Chanel watches and "I don’t care if my hair is messy you’ll never be as beautiful and slim as me" airs (insert smoky French laugh here.)

How did the North Americans know we were outnumbered? When last night, at a private dinner for Lagerfeld, Herr Karl promptly relocated his entire entourage from their plum spot inside the Casa Tua resto to come sit next to us outside on the patio. Why? So they could all smoke throughout dinner of course! And in International Shocking News Bulletin–Karl took off his sunglasses – more than once! – prompting shouts of "Take it off, take it off" from his comrades at Cool Kids Table #1.

Today zoomed off with Style.com‘s Laird Borrelli to C. Madeleine’s, Miami’s famous 10,000 square foot vintage store. Our driver gave up on us as we got lost in the stunning selection of vintage wear, including piles of designer and an entire "couture" area. My find? Multi-coloured Bruno Magli heels. Oh yes, and I advised Chanel muse Lady Amanda Harlech, shopping right next to us, that the Chanel lace gown she was considering snapping up for tonight’s event (and the Chanel archives) was her, definitely her. "I’m about to go have lunch with Karl," she told the shop girls. "It’s $4,000, so I’ll check with him and come back." Oh Amanda, what’s $4,000 between friends?

Later, the show…

Shown: The Raleigh pool. Photography by Nikolas Koenig

The post Chanel 2009 Resort, South Beach pre-show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.