PARIS – Models in head-to-toe yeti suits picked their way around towering but quickly melting icebergs, sloshing through a deep puddle of Arctic melt in their shaggy fake fur.

Call it climate change chic, Chanel style.

Designer Karl Lagerfeld looked Tuesday to global warming, turning the melting of the polar ice caps into fodder for Chanel's fall-winter 2010-11 ready-to-wear look. Because, after all, what use is the threat of a catastrophe of global proportions if not to fuel fashion trends and inspire clever variations on Chanel's iconic styles?

Models in classic Chanel suits with fur trim or tweed jackets paired with pants that looked like they were made out of Chewbacca, the "Star Wars" Wookiee, struck poses in front of the giant icebergs, which had apparently been special-delivered from Sweden.

The over-the-top Arctic production once again raised the bar for the French luxury powerhouse, whose high-budget theatrical presentations and larger-than-life celebrity designer have helped make it one of the most highly anticipated shows on the Paris calendar.

Another highly anticipated show — that of wildly inventive British designer Alexander McQueen — was scrapped after his death last month by apparent suicide. Instead, an elite cadre of fashion elites were invited Tuesday to view pieces from his final collection.

At Valentino, the new design duo struck the right balance between the storied house's tradition and their own vision. For their third ready-to-wear collection for the label, the pair sent out a strong collection that was neither slavish to the archive nor too far removed from the brand's aesthetic.

Hannah McGibbon, the shy Briton who is the latest in a series of designers at Chloe, also hit her stride after several shaky seasons at the romantic French label.

At Thierry Mugler, Spain's Rosemary Rodriguez pulled off a similarly convincing performance with a collection that was all sharp edges and futuristic shapes.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, France's reigning king of kitsch, looked to Lady Godiva for a droll collection that left no Medieval stone unturned.

Paris's marathon eight-day-long ready-to-wear week winds down Wednesday with shows by French luxury behemoths Louis Vuitton and Hermes, Prada second line Miu Miu and Hollywood's favorite Lebanese designer, Elie Saab — the brains behind "Up in the Air" co-star Anna Kendrick's blush-colored Oscar gown