>> Although Audrey Tautou's commercial role for Chanel doesn't officially kick off until next month, last night marked the world premiere of her role as Chanel in Coco avant Chanel (trailer) at a Champs-Elysees theater in Paris.  The movie film opens to the public in France April 22, but no date for the US has been set.  Grazia caught the screening, and determined that the final cut "definitely lives up to expectations."

The film begins with Chanel's arrival at the orphanage where she grew up and learned to sew, follows her arrival in society and romance with Boy Capel, and ends with her debut runway show; Grazia deemed the scene where the Chanel LBD was born — Coco realizes she has nothing to wear out and orders a plain black dress, without a corset, from a horrified local dressmaker (pastel corseted dresses were the order of the day) — their favorite.  Geraldine Dormoy of Cafe Mode also had the chance to see the film, and was fixated by the way Audrey brought the role to life — "[she] carries the film on her shoulders" — and the clothes — she noted Karl Lagerfeld's influence in the last scene.  Stephen Jones with Pippa Cleator apparently made some 800 hats for the movie.

But while you're waiting for the film to come stateside, Valentino: The Last Emperor is expanding into even more theaters in Philadelphia, San Diego, Boston, Washington, DC, and more — full list here.