Chanel's no1: Claudia Schiffer is back

Now, 20 years later, Claudia Schiffer has been reunited with the style guru to front a new campaign for the fashion house.

Themove marks the German model's return to the front line of fashion after taking time off to look after her young children.

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Claudia poses on the beach in St Tropez for a Chanel photoshoot

Lagerfeld took personal charge of the three-day photoshoot for Chanel's ready-to-wear spring collection in St Tropez in the South of France last week.

Ms Schiffer posed on the beach in a variety of outfits, including a see-through gown, an all-in-one flared catsuit covered in stars and a tightly fitting blue jacket.

At one point, the 37-year-old held an artist's palette and painted the word Chanel on the bare back of a male model.

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Lagerfeld dressed as flamboyantly as the supermodel as he controlled the shoot from behind the camera - wearing a nautical jacket, a bow tie and his trademark sunglasses.

Ms Schiffer spent five years as the face of Chanel after Lagerfeld plucked her from obscurity.

But the pair fell out when the model was replaced in 1996, at the height of "heroin chic".

She said at the time: "I am no great fan of the fact that nowadays you have to look like a junkie just to be cool.

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Starry-eyed: Claudia takes a stroll

"To look like someone who is sick on smack can hardly be labelled a healthy ideal.

"Of course the trend changes all the time, but I stick to photographers who want me to look beautiful and healthy."

Lagerfeld said: "Claudia is part of another world, another fashion, another spirit, another time.

"It would not be easy for Claudia to change. She doesn't need to model any more."

But Ms Schiffer continued to model, famously fronting a campaign for Citroen-cars where she appeared nude behind the wheel and was paid a reported £3million.

In 2002, she married Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels film producer Matthew Vaughn and took time off after giving birth to her son Caspar in 2003 and daughter Clementine in 2004.

The couple have a £5million Suffolk mansion.

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Reunited: Claudia and legend Karl Lagerfeld

Wind-swept: The model shows off her stunning figure in a see-through floaty dress

Artistic: Claudia gets creative with a model