It's been a huge month for Chanel, first with its carpet-stealing stable of ambassadors as they hit the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala. Now the French Fashion House takes to the Los Angeles to stage its first resort collection in the city in over sixteen years. Instead of the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Chanel opted for the quintessential LA site, Paramount Studios, as ground zero for its 2024 Cruise collection.

The collection was a glittering parade of Los Angeles soft power. Inside there was a carnival atmosphere, with an interlocking C basketball court runway, Chanel-branded food trucks and a playful "kiss cam" that captured the foremost faces invited – Kristen Stewart, Riley Keough, Snoop Dogg, Lil Nas X, Paris Hilton. Outside WGA strikers lobbied for better working conditions for screenwriters and on the runway all of the archetypes that can be found in sunny LA strolled out, doing a delicate dance between caricature and case study.

There were old Hollywood references of course, and inklings of the bohemian spirit that blanketed Laurel Canyon in the 60s and 70s. Chanel skateboards cruised their way in and I'm certain blonde bombshells and Angeleno socialites would see themselves mirrored. Sportswear permeated the entire collection, nodding to Jane Fonda and her brigade of 80s athletica and to the Erewhon smoothie-sipping yoga goers of the city's modern fabric.

If there was such thing as a Chanel Barbie, this is surely what she would wear. And I'm not the only one who thinks it. Virginie Viard rolled out a wardrobe bursting with neon and pastel pinks, metallic swimsuits, palm tree motifs and the kind of kitschy accessories that would slide in perfectly in a Mattel dreamland. Sitting in the front row was Margot Robbie, who we imagine was mentally selecting a rack of looks to take on her Barbie press tour if she felt so inclined.

It was everything a show in LA should be. Equal parts fantasy, aspiration and showbiz, baby.