Taking place at the Palais Garnier, Chanel’s autumn-winter 2024-25 haute couture collection was its first since announcing the departure of creative director Virginie Viard.
Known to be a haven of creative freedom, the opera house was the ideal stage to exhibit the collection, with its history and role in fashion seeping throughout. The show celebrated disciplines of beauty and patience, as models took to the runway in delicate ruffles and rich embellishments, affirming the longevity of the “coquette aesthetic”.
The collection indulged in tradition, harking back to its heyday with Fifties silhouettes in the form of petticoats and peplums, evocative of a Chanel icon, Marilyn Monroe.
Despite revelling in classic shapes and modest necklines, more avant-garde layering was incorporated with capacious capes, ruffs and draped overcoats appearing in both day and night looks, displaying the versatility of vailing. The use of facades encouraged us to question, what lies behind the curtain for future looks under new creative direction?
Each look was adorned with a grandiose bow in the model’s hair embodying a child-like innocence. Chanel’s use of embellishment, rich embroidery and voluminous ruffles imbued a sense of grand romance that leant into the unapologetically feminine core of the collection.
Drop waists and skirt suits evocative of Jackie K featured heavily, embellished in decadent jewels and supple tweed, the collection didn’t stray far from its roots. Yet Chanel brought it back to reality, playing with hardwearing and clashing textures – from patent leathers over beaded mesh to tasselled patches against wool.
Model of the moment Angelina Kendall rounded off the show with a Princess Diana-inspired wedding dress, featuring a drop hem waist and ruffled flowers. This ode to the late princess evoked a point in time where fashion protocol was being disrupted – and perhaps that’s what we have to expect from the new creative direction at Chanel.