In a celebration of its origins, Luxury house Chanel presented its Fall Winter 2024 Ready-to-Wear Collection at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris, drawing inspiration from the sands and stories of Deauville. This place, resonant with the echoes of Gabrielle Chanel’s formative years, was brought back to life on Tuesday, 5th March, under the imaginative direction of Virginie Viard. Deauville, a cornerstone in Chanel’s history since 1912, witnessed the birth of Gabrielle Chanel’s first foray into fashion, marking the inception of a style that would come to be known as both visionary and radically chic. Viard’s collection is a tribute to this heritage, blending echoes of the past with the vibes of the present.
FALL WINTER 2024.25 WOMENSWEAR
Viard transformed the runway into a recreation of the Deauville boardwalk, complete with giant screens that depicted long, romantic silhouettes ambling from dawn until dusk, capturing the essence of a town synonymous with elegance and theatrical self-expression. This setting provided the backdrop for a collection that is both a nod to androgyny and a deep dive into cinematic allure, reflecting a blend of influences from the 1920s to the 1970s.
It’s a very warm collection, with layers of materials, colours and volumes. It pays tribute to Deauville, the legendary place where Gabrielle Chanel’s destiny changed forever. – Virginie Viard
The Chanel Fall Winter 2024 collection itself is an ode to the dualistic nature of Chanel’s heritage, fusing feminine elements drawn directly from Gabrielle Chanel’s personal wardrobe with masculine touches inspired by the aristocratic winter vacations spent by the sea. Viard showcased an array of broad-shouldered peacoats and dressing-gown-style belted coats layered over tweed ensembles, highlighting box-pleated skirts, culottes, and cropped trousers. The incorporation of chunky sailor sweaters and delicate silk blouses with middy collars stands out, as do the flounced low-cut tops and negligees, all whispering of Deauville’s maritime charm and its gentle, ever-present winds.
The color palette is a direct homage to Deauville’s skies, with vibrant and pastel hues of pink, mauve, orange, and pale blue, enriched by the earthy tones of brown and the shimmer of gold lamé. Prints of 35mm film and cinema tickets weave in narratives of Deauville’s connection to the film industry, celebrating its American Film Festival and the iconic film “A Man and a Woman” by Claude Lelouch, immortalized by Inez and Vinoodh’s opening film for the show.
Viard’s muses, from the silhouette of David Bowie to the sand-treading film stars like Anouk Aimée, are palpably present throughout the collection. Aimée, a close friend of Gabrielle Chanel, is specifically honored through the selection of footwear, with heeled knee-high and thigh-high sheepskin boots reflecting her iconic style in “A Man and a Woman.“
honestly I am obsessed with the hat ! but this collection in half.of the looks is very much not in the fall winter category