Fashion connoisseurs gathered at the Palais Galliera across the Eiffel Tower in Paris to watch the latest Chanel Fall 2021 Couture presentation unfold last night. Virginie Viard’s first few outings as the head honcho of Chanel paid subtle homages to its former chief Karl Lagerfeld, but with her latest collection, you can finally view more of Viard’s design aesthetic merged into the label’s signature style.
(L-R) Black gown, and textured skirt with a long jacket
“It made perfect sense for this show, bursting with colours, to be held at the Palais Galliera, City of Paris Fashion Museum, a veritable institution of art and fashion, where the exhibition dedicated to Gabrielle Chanel continues. Because I love seeing colour in the greyness of winter. I really wanted a particularly colourful collection that was very embroidered, something warm,” the creative director shared.
(L-R) Embroidery detail and behind the scenes construction
Inspired by the marvellous portraits from the Impressionist era this season, Viard managed to juxtapose the subtle nuances of art and fashion in her new line. It started when she discovered the images of Coco Chanel dressed up in exquisite gowns in the 1930s and connected it with the artform that was on the rise in France during that period.
Image via: Pinterest
Impressionist artists like Berthe Morisot and Édouard Manet captured the bustling energies of intimate gatherings in that era with their small, visible and unblended brushstrokes centring the natural light. In fact, one of the renowned painters, Marie Laurencin, was even commissioned by Coco to paint her in an exclusive portrait in 1923. “There are impressionist-inspired dresses, skirts that look like paintings and a long white satin dress punctuated with black bows like Morisot’s,” shared Viard.
Margaret Qualley in a black tulle gown
Before the actual unveiling of the latest collection, American filmmaker Sofia Coppola was given the task of directing the label’s current ambassador, actor Margaret Qualley in a short fashion film. Shot in the same location where the runway show was to be showcased, Qualley is seen casually taking a stroll in key Chanel pieces, living her best life.
Chanel Teaser starring Margaret Quallery, directed by Sofia Coppola
The ensembles featured a balanced mix of classic Chanel designs with an artistic upgrade. Tweed suits with a burst of colours, pantsuits with sequin-heavy neck scarves, layered skirts, appliqued jackets, mini dresses with embellishments and tulle-heavy gowns with tone-on-tone details. The show-stopping number on Qualley was an off-white floor-length solid gown with puffed-up sleeves and a short veil.
(L-R) White finale gown and magenta pink coordinated set
“There are dresses embroidered with water lilies, a jacket in a black tweed crafted from feathers with red and pink flowers. I was also thinking about English gardens. I like to mix a touch of England with a very French style. It’s like blending the masculine and the feminine, which is what I’ve done with this collection too. That twist is very much a part of who I am,” says Viard.
(L-R) Black tweed jacket with water lilies and long tweed jacket with a feathered skirt
Photo Courtesy: Chanel
