When Jordane Crantelle arrived backstage at Chanel’s spring 2006 Ready To Wear show, she was totally prepared to perform the normal duties expected of an intern: help dress models, run errands, fetch water and coffee, etc. However, when a model called in sick a few minutes before show time, Karl Lagerfeld called upon the 21 year old to, as they say, take one for the team. Before she could bat a beautiful eyelid, her look went from intern-incognito to runway-ready. Then it was a quick walking lesson from the pros, a prayer to the runway deities that she wouldn’t embarrass herself, and the young Parisian was on her way. As payment for her pounding the “pavement”, she was allowed to select a bag of swag straight from the runway. Talk about a fantasy come true, a living fairy tale, and a severe case of being in the right place at the right time, all wrapped up in one! But before you launch into a chorus of “If You Believe in Magic,” get a load of this.
Ms. Crantelle later chatted with the gals at 4 Times Sq. to give Teen Vogue readers a rehash of her runway foray (which is profiled in the February issue on newsstands now). There, she shared that her internship also lead to her being cast as an extra in the French film La Doublure. She has no desire to be an actress or a model, though, so while those experiences were extraordinary, neither runway nor reel way inspired new career aspirations for the law student. What actually set her hear aflutter was being offered a position in Chanel’s press office once her internship ended. What humility!
And just in case she hasn’t counted her blessings, let’s do it for her-
1. coveted internship at world-renowned fashion house,
2. cameo appearance alongside boss and mentor Karl Lagerfeld,
3. a to-die-for sashay down the runway in glamorous digs
4. a post-internship position in CHANEL’s press office,
5. a profile in Teen Vogue, kid sister to the Fashion Bible (could this blessing be directly affected by the one right before it? I think so.)
