"I can't wait to start couture," he said. "I like what I am doing. The other night, I saw Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti at the Costume Institute, and they said, 'Oh, we're so happy not working. We can go to the opera, we can go to the ballet.' I said, 'What a bore.' They said, 'But not everyone wants to die on the spot.' There's nothing else I want. I saw enough ballet and enough opera in my life and had enough houses. I don't care about that anymore. I want room service, a nice bed, and a good desk, and books. It's easy. It makes life much lighter."

Tonight's show will feature over 60 looks, and rumor has it that it will end with 10 synchronized swimmers from the U.S. Olympic team plus eight additional ones wearing Lagerfeld-designed swimsuits emblazoned with a letter. The swimmers are expected to jump into the pool and do a ballet performance that will reach its finale when they will line up to spell out Chanel. It's an appropriate nod to The Raleigh, which played host to several Esther Williams films. "As a child, I loved Esther Williams movies," Lagerfeld said. "I am actually staying here in a suite called the Esther Williams Suite."