12/09/08 - Paris's Le Ranelagh theatre, built in 1755 by Jean Joseph Le Riche de La Pouplinière, was the location Karl Lagerfeld chose to present his pre-fall 2009 Paris-Moscow collection. We'll leave you with the 65 photos of the collection...

Paris's Le Ranelagh theatre, built in 1755 by Jean Joseph Le Riche de La Pouplinière, was the location Karl Lagerfeld chose to present his pre-fall 2009 Paris-Moscow collection.

The collection is a tribute to the obvious Russian influence in Coco Chanel's designs during her romance with Russia's Count Dimitri, although it's also a reference to the emerging Russian economy, its passion and its tradition in ostentatiousness. Chanel and the luxury world have certainly set their sights on markets beyond eastern Europe.

To celebrate the collection, Karl Lagerfeld presented his short film, where he pays tribute to Coco Chanel - we showed it to you last week in our news section.

The collection certainly shows off a vast selection of haute couture, and the recession doesn't put even a dent in its ostentatiousness: Lagerfeld announced that the collection will be released within eight months, and that he's sure the recession will have passed by then. We're fascinated by how they've brought back folklore and tsar icons, blending them with the Chanel essence, which in men's garments is dominated by last century's Russian military look.

After Paris, New York, Tokyo, Monte Carlo and London, it's Moscow's turn to receive a unique tribute from Karl Lagerfeld, who has confirmed that his next focus will be Shanghai. But for now, we'll leave you with the 65 looks presented in Paris.