Chanel brings the catwalk to Cuba

Chanel brings the catwalk to Cuba
POSTED 11:08 PM, MAY 3, 2016, BY CNN WIRE, UPDATED AT 11:10PM, MAY 3, 2016

The famed fashion house Chanel turned a crumbling colonial boulevard in
Havana into a brightly-lit runway Tuesday, throwing one of the swankiest
and star-studded parties the island has seen since Fidel Castro took
power in 1959.

Movie star Vin Diesel and supermodel Gisele Bundchen joined members of
the Castro family to view the Resort 2017 collection, which saw the
brand take over Paseo del Prado, one of the city's central streets that
was closed down for the event.

Guests were whisked to the show by dozens of multi-colored 1950's
American cars rented for the evening.

"The rented over a hundred old cars," said Victor, one of the drivers of
the classic cars hired for the evening by Chanel. "There are not many
cars like this left in the city right now."

While tropical rain threatened to interrupt the event, both Cuban and
international models showcased the latest clothes from Chanel head
designer and creative director Karl Lagerfeld.

The show featured Cuban music and ended with models dancing down the
boulevard.

Tight security prevented anyone without a coveted invitation from
getting too close but local residents packed balconies along the street
to catch a glimpse of some of the stars and the show.

Chanel executives said the French fashion company decided to host Cuba's
first major fashion show to highlight the changes taking place on the
long-isolated island.

Following Fidel Castro's revolution, private industry was banned as Cuba
turned to communism.

But in recent years, Castro's younger brother and current President,
Raul Castro, has slowly allowed more capitalism to enter the economy and
a consumer culture has again emerged from the shadows.

After decades of Cold War acrimony, the United States and Cuba
reestablished diplomatic ties last year. The U.S. still maintains an
economic embargo on the island, which only Congress can lift.

President Barack Obama also traveled to Cuba in 2016, the first visit by
a U.S. president to the island in nearly 90 years, and in March the
Rolling Stones played a free concert in Havana.

Source: Chanel brings the catwalk to Cuba | Q13 FOX News -
http://q13fox.com/2016/05/03/chanel-brings-the-catwalk-to-cuba/