Hands down, the highlight of my long weekend in London was getting a chance to visit the Mademoiselle Privé exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery before the exhibit closed. Offering a glimpse into the famed House of CHANEL, the exhibition highlighted the elegant world of Mademoiselle Chanel herself. The fully immersive experience allowed visitors to interact with the world of CHANEL on all tactile levels. From a visit to the jewel box of a shop in the fashionable seaside town of Deauville that helped launch Gabrielle Chanel’s famed career, to the iconic staircase at 31 rue Cambon where Chanel would be perched atop as models descended down in her latest pieces to the amazement of adoring clients and critics, attendees were able to step into these famed French locations in the heart of London. Also highlighted at the exhibit were the various totems that Chanel drew inspiration from for the designs she created. These symbols still hold a deep meaning and importance to the House of CHANEL.
The incredible team behind the exhibit also created two distinct gardens in both the French and English style with the French garden recalling the orphanage where Chanel grew up and whose woven trellises inspired her legendary interlocking C’s. However, one of the most engaging parts of the exhibit was the sensory room which was a Willy Wonka-esque recreation of a perfume laboratory. With the world of fragrance being such an integral part of CHANEL, it was fascinating to fully immerse oneself into such a major part of the house.
Another part of the exhibit that particularly resonated with me was the space dedicated to the world of CHANEL Haute Couture and high jewelry. The artistry that these two spheres of fashion represent is truly staggering and never fails to amaze me. Featuring pieces from the 2015 Cercle Privé Haute Couture collection paired with sparking high-jewelry creations based on Mademoiselle Chanel’s only fine jewelry collection, the room had visitors in an awed hush.
