CHANEL Spring 2023: A Fashion Show Worthy Of Haute Couture
Virginie Viard’s latest collection for Chanel is inspired by the animal iconography of Coco Chanel’s apartment at 31 rue Cambon.
Held at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris, the CHANEL Spring/Summer Haute Couture show was a collaboration between the house’s creative director, Virginie Viard, and Xavier Veilhan, the French artist who help bring her vision to life.
The artist was the creator of the imaginary figures of animals (eleven monumental animals made of wood, cardboard and paper) that have populated the Chanel fashion show, XL size sculptures inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment at number 31 rue Cambon. That’s where Virginie Viard took Xavier Veilhan: “For his third participation, I asked him to reinterpret the apartment’s bestiary and incorporate his own,” she says. “The whole universe of embroidery in the collection is turned towards the animal world.”
Her giant stylized sculptures of creatures that included a horse, lion, deer, buffalo, bird, fish, dog and elephant were carried into the beginning of the show, marking Veilhan’s third and final chapter.
As the final guests were seated, the show began, as an almost futuristic soundtrack played on stage. “I like it when the wondrous erupts and the course of events is interrupted,” Viard shared.
“Virginie Viard moves in a constantly changing world, inventing new little worlds. Coco Chanel’s bestiary is interesting because it serves as a starting point for a new story. I throw myself into crazy things where fantasy is as important as the story. There is also symbolism, I am interested in how animals are linked to certain places, peoples, folklore, traditions… It is also an exploration of what our own imaginary can be. I suggested a scenario that resembles a village party,” expressed the artist.
Among large plywood animal sculptures inspired by those once displayed in Coco Chanel’s apartment, models emerged with new riffs on tweed ensembles, pleated blouses, coats and capes. Some, like a high-collared, crossover jacket with a flared waist and an array of top hats and bow ties, fit the mythical theme of the bestiary to perfection.
There were sequined corgi faces on tweed jackets and bunnies hopping embroidered on delicate sheer dresses, along with Chanel’s classic camellia done up in layers of tulle, plus other spring-ready fields of flowers dancing in long, embellished dresses on suit panels.
The styling of the collection was a nod to the majorettes: top hats and bow ties were mixed with white gloves and lace-up boots in gold and white with the house’s famous two-tone toe cap, with both masculine and feminine elements incorporated into the collection. There were more bow ties worn as chokers and light, airy dresses in lace and silk paired with light, floor-length tweed coats.
A flapper fringe of ostrich, crystal beads and mauve camellias made the collection simply irresistible.
As expected, Chanel’s latest showcase featured a star-studded front row. Sitting front row at the show were Chanel runway show regulars Vanessa Paradis, Marion Cotillard and Charlotte Casiraghi, as well as newer faces like Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink and Apple Martin, daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. All the guests wore wonderful outfits from the brand highlighting its distinctive tweed print.
