Chanel to stage fashion show at Linlinthgow Palace

The French company will stage its Metiers d'Art collection of craftmanship in the ruins of Linlithgow Palace in West Lothian next month.

Design chief Karl Lagerfeld will showcase Scottish tweed and cashmere.

The move follows Chanel's recent acquisition of the Barrie knitwear mill in Hawick, following the collapse of owner Dawson International.

Other locations in which the Metiers d'Art has been held include Tokyo, New York, London and Moscow.

In a statement, Chanel said: "This year, Karl Lagerfeld has chosen Edinburgh as the location for the collection, inspired by the rich heritage of Chanel in Scotland, and the skilled craftsmanship of Scottish tweed and cashmere, that are an integral and iconic part of Chanel's collections today."
'Legendary' show

Designers and fashion journalists are due to arrive in Edinburgh for the fashion show on 3 December and fly out on two days later.

During their trip they will visit the capital's tourist attractions, including the Castle and the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Woman wearing cashmere jumper Barrie has produced cashmere knitwear for Chanel for the past 25 years

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop commented: "The Metiers d'Art show is legendary in the fashion world and I am delighted that Chanel has chosen the stunning location of Linlithgow Palace for this year's event.

"Chanel bringing the show to Scotland is hugely exciting for Linlithgow and the people of Scotland, and it will provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase Scotland's culture and heritage to a global audience in the Year of Creative Scotland."

Barrie Knitwear was a trading division of Dawson International, which was placed in administration in August because of the size of its pension liabilities.

Chanel bought the firm last month in a deal which was expected to secure all 176 jobs based in Hawick.