From Gabrielle Chanel to Karl Lagerfeld and then to Virginie Viard, the road has been full of inspiration, surprises, and iconic clothes. Gabrielle’s innovative designs redefined not only the female wardrobe but the very perception of women during the 20th century. After a period of decline, Karl Lagerfeld managed to modernize the brand, without betraying its core values and original vision. Haute couture met street culture in a progressive and awe-inspiring way that is now considered emblematic. Now it is Viard’s turn to materialize her creative notions and judging by what she has already shown us, the future seems more than promising.
For Anna Wintour, one of fashion’s most important professionals globally, Karl’s style had a dynamic precision unlike anybody else’s, yet Virginie Viard possesses a certain female trait that allows her to explore fashion in a way that aligns perfectly with the contemporary women’s view of it. Having been in touch with CHANEL’s codes from a really young age, film director Sofia Coppola always finds a family sense in them and never ceases to be amazed by the gloriously intricate way in which every collection comes alive every single time. As a CHANEL ambassador of the Viard era, actress Margaret Qualley cannot help but worship the designer’s ability to produce effortless elegance, an attribute that is indicative of Viard’s personality in general: coolness and an under-the-radar ingenuity are the key to creative supremacy.
CHANEL is not just a part of fashion history but a crucial element of fashion’s future too. Where art, style and culture merge, that is where we will always be finding CHANEL.
Having brand ambassador and former competitive rider Charlotte Casiraghi riding a horse across a recyclable set designed by artist Xavier Veilhan, the latest CHANEL Couture show started with a promising bang, evoking all those elements the House is known and adored for: the effortless glam, the mystery, the upscale lifestyle attitude, and the luxurious ambience each show is bound to immerse you in, as long as you are willing to open up to the brand’s captivating codes. This time, Virginie Viard’s vision entailed a retrospective inspiration drawn from the roaring ‘20s. As the artistic director herself put it: “I was inspired by the ’20s a little—the feathers, the fringe, the feminine side of the Constructivists, the girl inside!”
Although the collection is a tribute to spring and summer, it is rich with embroideries and seemingly heavy structures, while managing to remain light and breezy. Tweed suits with “unorthodox” leg-revealing skirts and trousers, chiffon and organza dresses, satin evening dresses, sequins and ostrich feathers, checked coat dresses, geometric motifs, feathered slipdresses and A-line tunics form a stylish mood board that alludes to both everyday life and the realm of cinematic dreams. The artisans’ work is visible in this collection too: the handwoven tweeds, the feather and fabric flowers and the assembled pieces of net and tulle attest to a fashion culture of hard work with artistic quality.
The Gatsby mood intertwines with the modern setting and Viard’s conceptual freshness and together they bring CHANEL’s heritage one step closer to the future. And the fashion beat goes on.
Diary
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
ANNA WINTOUR, SOFIA COPPOLA AND MARGARET QUALLEY CONTEMPLATE THE HISTORY OF CHANEL