Chanel Cruise 2020: Karl Lagerfeld's successor Virginie Viard puts on first solo show in Paris

Virginie Viard was named Chanel's new creative director following Karl Lagerfeld's death

Virginie Viard has put on her first solo show for Chanel fashion house since she was named Karl Lagerfeld's successor.

Widely regarded as the German fashion icon's "right hand woman", it was announced in February that she would succeed him as creative director after his death aged 85.

Viard debuted Chanel's latest cruise collection at a star-studded show at the Grand Palais in Paris, France.

The setting for the runway was made to look like a Beaux Arts train station, with the models walking along a train platform next to tracks.

"Like the promise of adventure, the main hall is traversed by railroad tracks over which one can just picture trains setting off for one of the destinations posted over kiosks and benches," the firm stated in a release about the collection.

Chanel Cruise 2020 runway at the Grand Palais in Paris, France (REUTERS)

These destinations included Venice, Saint Tropez, Athens, Byzance, Bombay, Edinburgh and Rome, which "appear like so many windows on the world, reprising the settings, real or imagined, of earlier Chanel collections".

Viard's debut show attracted a number of of famous faces, including Keira Knightley, Lily-Rose Depp, Vanessa Paradis and Claudia Schiffer.

Knightley, who was made the face of Chanel's perfume Coco Mademoiselle in 2006, attended the show with her husband, musician James Righton of the Klaxons.

The Oscar-nominated actor is currently pregnant with her second child.

Oscar-nominated actor Keira Knightley was in attendance at the Chanel Cruise 2020 show (Getty Images for Chanel)

The Chanel Cruise 2020 collection includes a total of 79 runway looks.

The range features a variety of signature Chanel styles, with the inclusion of tweed, bold suit ensembles and classic, colourful handbags.

Chanel Cruise 2020 runway at the Grand Palais in Paris, France (REUTERS)

Virginie Viard being applauded following the Chanel Cruise 2020 show (Getty Images)

Knightley praised Viard for her bold direction of Chanel following the Parisian show.

"The fact that it's going back into the hands of a woman is so unbelievably exciting," the Atonement actor said. "Virginie worked alongside Karl for more than 30 years, so she understands the fabric of the house so well, but is now bringing that very feminine, cool touch. Looking at that collection, I was like, 'Yes, I want to wear all of that, thank you very much."

Viard first joined Chanel as an intern in 1987, four years after Lagerfeld began working at the fashion label.

Chanel described Viard as Lagerfeld's "closest collaborator for more than 30 years" when a statement was released announcing her new role.

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