Chanel 'Supermarket' Looted After Paris Show

Chanel's show at Paris Fashion Week yesterday had a somewhat pedestrian theme: The Grand Palais, where the show was held, was turned into a Chanel supermarket. There were rows of food and household items, all with Chanel-branded names like Coco beer and Tweed cola, and models pushed shopping carts or carried baskets through the aisles while music and fake announcements played ("the young Marine is waiting for her parents at the cashiers," for example); signs advertised "sales"—like "1 for the price of 2" and "50% markup."

Altogether, more than 100,000 items were displayed with more than 500 different labels; some will be donated to charity, Reuters reports, but others were grabbed by audience members after the show ... and things got so crazy that security guards had to intervene, with the AP noting fashionistas' bags were actually searched upon exit, with stolen goods removed, though one apparently made off with a Chanel doormat. "For me the supermarket is the pop art of today," said designer Karl Lagerfeld ... though of course he also said he himself rarely actually visits supermarkets. Chanel last made headlines for featuring models in sneakers. (More Karl Lagerfeld stories.)