Camellias, Tweed, and Frites: A Day In Paris With Anna Vitiello

In the warm glow of the afternoon sun in Paris, Vogue Philippines contributing fashion editor Anna Vitiello reminisces her very first Chanel show, indulging in a day of tweed on tweed, vintage Chanel jewelry, and a nightcap of frites.

Ask me to name a sight more beautiful than the Tuileries Gardens in Paris on a sunny, crisp Winter morning and I’m not sure I’d come up with much. But I might tell you it’s that bit more magical when dressed in Chanel; a floor-length tweed dress from the SS24 collection, to be precise.

About five years ago, I was invited to my very first Chanel runway show. I remember strolling around the Tuileries afterwards, feeling completely and utterly enchanted by the experience, from the chaos of cars and fans outside the 10.30am show at the Grand Palais to the relative calm after the storm around the city. I stopped by the many beautiful sculptures in the Tuileries to commemorate the moment and, once I was done with all the marvelling, went to Cafe de Flore for frites. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to relive that experience a few times over since, but the charm of it all simply endures. I’m not necessarily one to be enraptured by the romance of a city like Paris – as the daughter of a Manila raised Mother and Naples born Father, I appreciate a city with the kind of grit and soul that others might take a pass on – but there’s just something about the beauty of the balcony of the Hotel de Crillon and the joy of sitting outside a local Parisian cafe that even the likes of me can’t escape.

When Coco Chanel first introduced her tweed suits in the 1920s, iterated for the first time in sportier silhouettes and playful colours, she imagined women moving freely and elegantly about their day. So, here I find myself, running around this picturesque city in the most timeless tailoring of them all from collections current and past. You see, no matter how many years, occasions and seasons pass, two things are certain to never lose their charm: Paris and the house of Chanel. 

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