We are of course talking about the Famous French Medal of Honor established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the First Republic, on 19 May 1802. The Order is the highest decoration in France.

As a coterie of fashion folk headed to the Elysée presidential palace on Thursday to watch Karl Lagerfeld receive his own Legion, and ended up holding an impromptu garden party with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, former model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Lagerfeld’s medal was a one-of-a-kind creation made to order by the French Mint and Chanel’s high jewelry workshops as a surprise for the designer, who for once was lost for words. “I am much better at making small talk than at giving speeches,” Lagerfeld said. “If it wasn’t for 99 percent of the people in this room, it would all amount to nothing. So in fact, this is for me but it is also for all of you.”

As guests mingled afterward, Bruni-Sarkozy flung open the doors to the garden, normally off limits except for the annual Bastille Day reception on July 14. “Wonderful,” murmured Amanda Harlech as she whipped out her BlackBerry to take souvenir photos.