The meeting between Chanel and the spaces of the Grand Palais pays tribute to the history of the Maison, to the founder Gabrielle Chanel and to all the artistic and stylistic evolution and research that went into it. The défilé spreads its wings right under the arches and glass roof of the Nave. Lightness and concreteness alternate in a feminine harmony, the lines and lengths of the 2000s mix with the Maison’s codes. The suits. The black sheath dresses. The tweed. The jersey. Chiffon. Leathers. Fringes and feathers. The wedges. The colours are an ode to the search for a wardrobe that is everyday, that can accompany the Chanel woman through day and night, the shades are those of the changing sky, of nature appearing in a different light. The entire collection is a tribute to women who feel free to live, who have freed themselves from all constraints and social encumbrances, who feel secure despite the pressures of modern society. The ethereal freedom is represented by the lightness of the chiffons used for light capes, the slits of the knee-length skirts, the transparencies and embroideries of the dresses, the wide collars borrowed from the male wardrobe, the ample silhouettes of the trousers, the tone-on-tone tie-shaped inserts, the multicoloured prints, the feathers and fringes that embellish the garments, the pearls worn around the neck, the chains cinched around the waist. A light but biting wind of freedom runs through the entire collection.
In revisiting the House codes – the suit and the little black dress, tweed and jersey, the quilted bag and the two-tone shoes – the Creation Studio presents a collection in the colours of day, of night and the ever-changing sky… A soaring voyage in the Nave of the Grand Palais.
At the centre of this large space is a white cage, placed there as if in a magical, surreal, fairy-tale setting, to arouse curiosity and convey feelings of freedom. A structure that blends incredibly well with the vaults and arches of the Grand Palais, with all the metal grids above the walkway and the seats that accommodate the spectators. The inspiration comes from a small cage given to Gabrielle Chanel by one of her dressmakers and which has been reinterpreted on several occasions over the years. The extraordinary dimensions in which the object was made make it incredibly fantastic, graceful in its lines and colour, immense in its large bars. The guest space is designed to recreate the atmosphere of a garden, a park, in which to stroll, stop and reflect, observe others, breathe and reconnect with one’s true inner essence. Here, once again, we can recognise Maison Chanel amidst the colours, motifs, fabrics, details and accessories, and we are reminded of the undisputed character that Gabrielle Chanel gave to fashion.
