Virginie Viard is inspired by the Maison’s past by choosing Kristen Stewart as the face of the collection. Indeed, the actress represents the idea of Gabrielle Chanel in Viard’s mind. Grace and elegance, beauty and sophistication. She, as a representation of the woman, feels the clothes she wears, finds herself in the values of the brand giving them a modern vision. In fact, this collection is also herself. The show opens with a small short film shot by the duo Inez & Vinoodh featuring Stewart herself as the protagonist coming out of Le Champo, an iconic art-house cinema in the Latin Quarter of Paris after the performance of Last Year in Marienmad, a 1961 film directed by Alain Resnais. She wears a jersey top, embellished with an oversized bow and a long skirt in pleated and embroidered tulle. From here we begin to savor the entire défilé.
“The film we have seen, those that possess us and those we invent for ourselves, Marienbad, the Nouvelle Vague, the allure according to Gabrielle Chanel, Karl, the night, feathers, sequins, heels: I like it when things get mixed up.”
The color palette is classic, between black and white there are pastel and dusty shades. Tweed is as always the master, with large patch pockets, frayed or hand-finished; we find blazers, skirts or entire suits, with various weft threads inside or embellished with sequins. The evening world is emphasized by bows and ribbons of all kinds, boas and feathers applied to garments, embroidery details and rhinestones. Velvet, silk and jersey give movement to silhouettes adorned with gold and silver highlights, in a perfect combination of sophistication and modernity. The world presented embodies an almost fantastic and surreal vision, telling the story of a woman going through her life with innate charm.
