The CHANEL Haute Couture 2023 collection was unveiled last week in Paris and it was nothing short of perfection. Whimsical and elegant, it was in my opinion one of Virginie Viard’s best Haute Couture collections yet for the legendary Maison. Viard used Gabrielle Chanel’s jewel box of an apartment at 31, Rue Cambon as a starting reference for the collection. A veritable curio cabinet of wonder, it houses a selection of Mademoiselle Chanel’s objects, sculptures, and drawings depicting lions, does, stags, birds, and camels. Deeply inspired by this carefully curated universe, these symbols and totems would go on to inspire her designs. It is only fitting that the first woman to helm the Maison since Gabrielle Chanel herself would also look to this special space for inspiration.
Always an incredibly special hallmark of a CHANEL Haute Couture collection, embroidery featured heavily throughout the collection. Speaking of its significance, Viard noted “the whole embroidery universe of the collection is turned towards the animal world.” Done on short tweed suits and coat dresses, kittens, corgis, rabbits and swallows are found intricately hand embroidered along with does, stags, and the Maison’s emblematic camellias.
Further exquisite couture finishings like delicate beading, feathers, flounces, handprinted laces, and exactingly expert pleats adorn airy and etherial dresses and jumpsuits of silk tulle, taffeta, organza, georgette crepe and chantilly lace. The iconic CHANEL suit cheekily borrows from majorettes with their pleated mini skirts and matching jackets that are either double-breasted or with tails.
For the setting of the CHANEL Haute Couture 2023 show, Virginie Viard turned once again to artist Xavier Veilhan. Know for his sculpture work, her crafted eleven monumental animals made of wood, cardboard, and paper. “For his third participation, I asked him to reinterpret the apartment’s bestiary and incorporate his own” said Viard. These playfully monumental sculptures hid the models only to open to let them take to the runway in the round for a parade of Haute Couture. And to bring the parade to a close, the signature bride emerged in a delicate white mini dress and fingertip length veiled embroidered with swallows.
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Photography: CHANEL
