Paris Fashion Week has (almost) been a wrap and Chanel’s Virginie Viard proved how vivid the Parisian nightlife still is. “I don’t know if this is because of the times we live in, but I wanted something warm, lively.” Discover Chanel’s collection and its story below.
Cover photo: Courtesy of Chanel
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Chanel Fall/Winter 2021-2022
“I love contrasts, so for the more voluminous winter pieces, I wanted a small space. I don’t know if this is because of the times we live in, but I wanted something warm, lively. I imagined the models doing a show for themselves, going from room to room, crossing each other in staircases, piling their coats up in the cloakroom and going up to the next floor to get changed. And I thought of the shows that Karl would tell me about, back in the day, a long time ago, when the models would dress themselves and do their own make-up,” says Virginie Viard describing the atmosphere of the Chanel Fall-Winter 2021/22 Ready-to-Wear show. After (almost) a decade of showing in the Grand Palais, the presentation for this collection was forced to move elsewhere, since the palace is closed for renovations. Nonetheless, Viard found a smaller space to show this voluminous collection. Chez Castel seemed to be the right spot for the show – a club opened in the early sixties. “So, I decided to go to Castel,” Viard explained, “I like Castel so much for its many salons, the spiral staircase, its bar, the journey through this venue, its little house style, where the models can get changed, dressed and undressed, do their make-up together, and have fun like a girls night in. It’s very sensual.”
The collection perfectly merged with its ambiance. “This collection is a mix of two influences: the ambiance of ski holidays, which I adore, and a certain idea of cool Parisian chic, from the 1970s to now,” Viard vividly explained. These two influences were clearly visible in the collection. The former expressed itself in faux-fur snow boots and après-ski jackets, while the latter was made visible by models wearing short skirts, bare midriffs and chunky tailoring.
Furthermore sequinned ballet flats, a man’s black shirt with a white collar and cuffs under a suit in lurex, a tweed kilt over a knitted jumpsuit reminded of a big name in fashion. “Today some of these silhouettes make me think of Stella Tennant’s allure, the way she wore certain pieces, it was so Chanel.”
Inez & Vinoodh
For the Fall-Winter 2021/22 Ready-to-Wear collection imagined by Virginie Viard, the duo Inez & Vinoodh photographed the models Lola Nicon, Vivienne Rohner, Mahany Pery, Louise de Chevigny, Abby Champion, Malika Louback and Rebecca Leigh Longendyke, on the rue Princesse in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood in Paris.
Best looks of Chanel Fall 2021
Also read: A selection of our favorite Hermès Fall/Winter 2021-2022 looks