coco

To the local cinema with Martine last night to watch Coco Avant Chanel, starring Audrey Tatou. It's a beautifully shot film - the stark black and white decor of the nuns garb and orphanage scenes at the beginning for example, reflecting perfectly the chic monochrome palette associated with the couture house.

The film depicts Coco's passionate love affair with wealthy British polo player Boy Capel, who provided the finance for her atelier in Paris. And while the clothes were a little disappointing - largely because the film focuses on the years prior to the launch of the couture house, when Mlle Chanel was mostly wearing men's clothes that she had chopped up and customised - the film is the best one-hour-and-fifty-minute advertisement that the label could wish for.

I predict that Chanel is going to be more popular than ever the next twelve months, particularly if, as hinted in the French press, the super-talented Albert Elbaz, currently head designer at Lanvin, takes over from Karl Lagerfeld later this year.

Chanel and Elbaz - known for his devastatingly chic cocktail dresses and tailoring - would be a match made in heaven. I feel sure that Coco would approve.