Chanel shows have always been a grande one, I mean show up or go home. There’s usually expression of arts, inspirations, new trends and stories that convince hearts it’s the way fashion should go. The brand’s expression of art has always been surrounded by its exotic surroundings like Grand Palais in Paris but this season with the global pandemic going on, Chanel didn’t let it stop her from her grande ways.
Chanel is the one of the first major collection in this Covid-19 lockdown, Chanel gave her audience a digital fashion show, which featured a release of a film and images shot by Karim Sadli and Julien Martinez Leclerc. The images were captured with a morning dawn look as the background, and the film was released on Instagram TV. The featured models were Mica Argañaraz, Karly Loyce, Camille Hurel and Cris Herrmann, soundtracked to the track “Time”, amongst others by the Venezuelan artist and producer Arca. Titled Balade en Méditerranée – “a trip around the Mediterranean”.
Chanel’s creative director Virginie Viard, said in a statement “We had to adapt,” meaning the brand had to grow despite the coronavirus pandemic, which reminded the brand of digital format fashion show, the format which has simplified our fashion appetites. I mean how an excellent fashion show can be put together and displayed to millions of audience all over the world without living your house, we not only reduced our caborn footprint but we also learnt the minimalist living.
Although we were stock at home with loungewears and kaftan dresses, that didn’t stop Chanel’s manifestion of values which transpired in her clarified takes on the Chanel suit in unlined leather or tweed, stripped of fuss and adornment bar big investment jewellery pieces handmade by Chanel’s artisans at Maison Desrues. The patchworked denim with logos and florals, a two-piece set made up of a gridded halter-neck top and a flared matching trouser worn with two-tone flats.
These designs says ease and practicality which was expressed in a breezy 1970s silhouette: bandeau tops styled with flares, the midriff accentuated with chain and strap accessories or re-appropriated bandanas.
Some skirts could double as strapless dresses, chiffon jackets that moonlight as dresses, embroidered long cardigans that could pass for mini dresses, and garments with a wealth of versatile styling options proposed by Viard in her collection notes.
The overall show feels very food to see and it’s like Chanel sent us a postcard in bedroom, an appropriate gesture in a time like this.
Here is the collection below:
By Lola Joseph
Images: Chanel
