Oldham supermodel Karen Elson returned home to stalk Chanel's extraordinary runway on the streets of her home city - and hailed it a "career highlight". She has also praised Chanel for shining a light on Manchester "for raising some of Great Britain's finest".
Flame-haired Karen, 44, has graced catwalks and fashion covers across the world ever since leaving home in Chadderton at the age of 16 to pursue a stellar career in fashion. But nothing could quite compare to heading home to Manchester to take part in Chanel's Northern Quarter takeover on Thursday night.
She joined models on the catwalk sporting a range of tweed Chanel ensembles, first appearing in a bright green suit. She then later appeared in a stunning sequin-encrusted black dress to close out the show.
READ MORE: Chanel's night in Manchester in pictures
She wrote on her official instagram page after the show: "Tonight was a pinch me moment. To close the Chanel Metiers D’Art show in my home town of Manchester was an emotional career highlight.
"Talk about coming full circle."
She went on to thank the entire Chanel team including designer Virginie Viard and music maestro Michel Gaubert. His soundtrack included many northern nods including Cilla Black's Anyone Who Had a Heart and The Fall's Big New Prinz.
Karen, who was once a muse for famed Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, added a further post to explain more of her history with Chanel and why it was such a "full circle" moment for her.
She wrote: "My first fashion show was Chanel with Karl Lagerfeld and it’s incredible decades later to walk for Chanel again this time in my birthplace.
"By Eck! Manchester you made me proud," she added.
She went on to praise Chanel's reigning artistic director Virginie Viard for what the event has done for Manchester, saying thank you "for investing in Manchester and highlighting how culturally significant it is."
She added: "There is a saying that it’s grim up north which doesn’t do Manchester justice since it is responsible for raising some of Great Britain’s finest. It was a profound joy to come back home."
Her return was also welcomed by her former teachers at North Chadderton School. They tweeted a picture of Karen in the Chanel show and said: "So proud to watch one of our ex students closing the Chanel Manchester Fashion Show yesterday! @KarenElson_amazing! #aspire #careers #youcan".
Announcing the collection on the Chanel website, bosses hailed Manchester's "pop spirt" as the inspiration for the fashions on display on the outdoor runway along Thomas Street.
It said: "Alive with a vibrant pop spirit born in Manchester and kept alive across the decades, the Chanel 2023/24 Métiers d’Art show embraces the creative dialogue between Great Britain and the house, so dear to Gabrielle Chanel and today to artistic director of the fashion collections, Virginie Viard.
"A testimony to the artisanal precision of the Métiers d’Art, the collection shimmers and shines with playful nods to British music culture and Chanel's art of tailoring, contrasting Autumnal and vivid colours, encrusted textures, pure silhouettes and carefree attitudes invoke a soft yet audacious femininity."
