Chanel holds its Métiers d’art workshop series in different cities every year to pay tribute to traditional workshops and incorporate local culture into the design theme, showcasing the ultimate craftsmanship and aesthetics. This time, Chanel takes us to the United Kingdom and chooses Manchester, the current music and cultural hub of the UK, as the venue for the 2023/24 Métiers d’art workshop series, held on Thomas Street at dusk.
Artistic Director Virginie Viard takes British culture as a starting point and designs with the most concise and precise strokes. Styles include herringbone wrap skirts, knife pleated mini skirts, Bermuda shorts, shirts, jacket skirts, and knitwear made from Shetland wool and cashmere. The overall design is tailored and the half skirts are designed with a low waist. The design showcases Chanel’s DNA, especially the characteristic cuts created by Gabrielle Chanel, including chains sewn on the hem of jackets, contrasting lining fabrics, and skillful stitching techniques that make the clothes flexible and fitted. In addition, the shirts that match the half skirts are made with lining fabrics from jackets and coats, creating a seamless visual effect.
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Virginie Viard said, “Tweed is the focus of this collection. I thought a lot about the anecdotes of Gabrielle Chanel’s life, but I didn’t want to replicate the look of her wearing the Duke of Westminster’s coat. When she injected color into tweed styles back then, I was inspired to add a distinct personality and a touch of popular culture to tweed.”
The suits, handbags, and pearl necklaces all use vibrant and bright colors, including salmon pink, pumpkin yellow, apple green, mustard yellow, sky blue, bright red, and rust. This time, Virginie Viard also changed her previous love for rock style and replaced it with a touch of 1960s British elegance, which is refreshing.
The whole collection is full of details, created by the hands of the fashion workshops at le19M Craft Center, adding charming allure to the new clothes: details like teapots, vinyl records, and cute flowers add a playful touch; black Mary-Jane doll shoes step out with a casual and elegant stride; denim pants, leather, knitted bags, doll pajamas, and off-the-shoulder dresses, among them, are not lacking in the shadows of the distinctly British elements of football, the Manchester music scene, or the countryside, in order to echo the theme and savor the brand’s century-long, ever-fresh connection with England.
