When one thinks of Chanel, the mind wanders to 60s tweed jackets, little black dresses and iconic, timeless 20th century glamour. But these style elements also pose a window into an earlier time, romanticised into a landscape before computers, mobile phones, Instagram, a global pandemic.
Chanel’s spring/summer 2022 presentation at Paris Fashion Week captured that nostalgia to a tee.
On Tuesday, the iconic fashion house’s creative director Virginie Viard brought a stampede of women wearing the silhouettes we’ve come to know and love as the very essence of the brand. There were black and white swimsuits, bright tweeds, structured jackets and of course, the embossed emblem of Chanel paraded with pride down the runway.
Classic 80s and 90s staples, timeless in style—the spring/summer 2022 collection comes at high time in an age where pre-loved and recycled fashion is more important (and on-trend) than ever.
In her press notes, Viard hailed the collection’s campaign, which featured several major faces in the fashion world (think Lily Rose Depp, Jennie of Blackpink and Alma Jodorowsky) standing before the camera holding their own point-and-shoot.
“Fashion is about clothes, models, and photographers,” Viard said.
Referencing of the fashion house’s late creative director, she continued: “Karl Lagerfeld used to photograph the Chanel campaigns himself. Today, I call upon photographers. I love the way that they see CHANEL. It supports and inspires me.”
She added that the camera is, “A magical object and a sexy gesture, which evokes so many memories. I used to love the sound of flashbulbs going off at the shows in the eighties when the models were on a raised runway. I wanted to recapture that emotion.”
That emotion was indeed reflected on the runway. Models strode down exuding a sense of je ne sais quoi. Almost chaotic at times, they flooded the raised platform with clothing that represented everything the fashion house is synonymous with.
It began with the swimsuits, embellished with chain belts. There were impressive patchwork denim pieces, followed by multi-coloured tweed ensembles, then gold metallics, pastel staple jackets. The 80s references were rife.
On either side, dozens of photographers crammed together to get their photo, capturing the very clothing we seek when picturing an Italian getaway, or walking the streets of Paris, or simply filling our wardrobe with our mother’s and grandmother’s pre-loved gems.
The show was our past and present, merged into a landscape where nostalgia, simplicity and timelessness are key. Step back in time and scroll through our favourite looks from the runway.
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