Keira Knightley, pictured in a Chanel gown at the Anna Karenina premiere in September (left), is to star in a short film as Coco Chanel (right), which will be directed by Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld is to direct a new short film about Coco Chanel, starring Keira Knightley in the leading role.
The actress, who fronts ads for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle fragrance, will star alongside French actress Clotilde Hemse, who will play Coco's aunt, Adrienne, WWD reports.
The cast will also feature a host of notable names including Stella Tennant, Tallulah Harlech and Caroline De Maigret, as well as male model Brad Kroenig and his young son Hudson.

Starring role: Keira Knightley, pictured in a Chanel gown at the Anna Karenina premiere in September (left), is to star in a short film as Coco Chanel (right), which will be directed by Karl Lagerfeld

The mini movie will mark the 100th anniversary of the first Chanel boutique, in the seaside town of Deauville, France, and is set to be shot later this week.

In the director's chair: Mr Lagerfeld will shoot the new film later this week

Mr Lagerfeld told the trade paper that early 20th Century Deauville would be recreated using 'detailed retro sets', as much of the town has been modernised since Coco Chanel's day.
The casting of Miss Knightley, who is engaged to musician James Righton, follows rumours that Mr Lagerfeld is designing her wedding dress.

 

The two have long been friends, and the actress describes the designer as 'amazing'.
She told Harper's Bazaar last year: 'Karl's amazing. He's an avid reader. And he speaks about five different languages, so he'll be rattling English to you and French to somebody else, and German to somebody else, and then the phone rings and he's speaking in Italian.'

Chanelling Coco: Anna Mouglalis as Coco Chanel in the 2009 film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (left) and Audrey Tautou in 2009's Life Before Coco (right)

Centenary: The French seaside town of Deauville was the location of the very first Chanel boutique and celebrates its 100th anniversary this year

Miss Knightley will follow in the footsteps of Audrey Tatou and Anna Mouglalis in portraying the legendary designer.
The new short film will premiere in early May in Singapore, where the catwalk show for the Chanel cruise collection will be taking place.