Chanel channels Coco with casual twist to classic designs

Haute couture show in Paris starts with Charlotte Casiraghi on horseback in honour of maison's founder

The best outfit in which to weather a pandemic? Try a boucle suit, two-tone kitten heels and a chain-strap handbag with a double C logo.

In defiance of all business forecasts, Chanel is emerging from two challenging years for retail virtually unscathed. Revenues at the luxury brand grew by double digits in the first six months of 2021, the most recent period for which earnings have been published, and the house expects soon to return to 2019 levels of profitability. Strong demand has led to eye-watering price hikes, with some classic handbag styles now priced at 40% more than in the first months of 2020. In anxious times, it seems a Chanel handbag is the gold bullion of fashion.