Fashion royalty star at palace

Fashion royalty has descended on Scotland for a catwalk show staged by one of the world's leading brands.

Linlithgow Palace in West Lothian hosted the launch of Chanel's prestigious Metiers d'Art collection by the French brand's creative director Karl Lagerfeld.

The collection, heavily inspired by Scottish designs and fabrics, was presented within the walls of the majestic 15th century palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.

An estimated audience of around 400 invited guests from the international fashion world watched the show, which began and ended with appearances from Scots model Stella Tennant.

Speaking after the show, Lagerfeld said: "I loved the location and I must say the way the show was staged was exactly what I wanted. It was very interesting to use it for a show. I wanted the rough romance of this beautiful place."

The fashion brand recently bought a cashmere mill in the Scottish Borders, Barrie Knitwear in Hawick, after its owner went into administration.

Asked about Scotland's influence in the fashion world, Lagerfeld replied: "Chanel came here, she discovered tweed here and the cashmere. Now we've bought Barrie. Scottish patterns and tartans are all over the world, so there is a strong identity that everybody likes, uses and copies."

There had been rumours that stars such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker were lined up to attend but there was no obvious sign of the Hollywood A-listers at the show.

Since 2002, Lagerfeld has dedicated an annual ready-to-wear collection to showcase specialist craftsmanship around the world. The catwalk event is held in a different country each year and this year his selection is thought to have been inspired by the heritage of Chanel in Scotland.

Around 200 Chanel staff were reportedly involved in preparing the palace for the event. Outside, large crowds of onlookers braved the Scottish winter weather ahead of the show, lining the streets of Linlithgow in the hope of catching sight of a well-known face.