With the Grand Palais undergoing renovation during Paris Fashion Week, the relocation of the Chanel’s spring/summer 2022 show to Grand Palais Éphémère posed an opportunity for creative director Virginie Viard to relive Chanel’s shows back in the 1980s and ’90s — raised platforms as runways with photographers lined up on the side, as models strut down the runway swinging their hips and grinning playfully at the audience.
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The new collection opens with black and white bathing suits, styled with stacks of belly chains and slinky fishnet skirts that were cinched in place with thick black ribbon and the houses’ camellias. Then came tweed suits with 1980s padded shoulders in a slew of pastel shades. There was sass on tap with playful knitted mini shorts, bandeau and crop tops worn under slinky jackets, and low hung skirts that revealed sexy high slung bikini briefs at the hip.
The film for the collection — by Inez & Vinoodh — stars Chanel ambassadors Jennie of Blackpink, Lily-Rose Depp, Alma Jodorowsky, Rebecca Dayan and Quannah Chasinghorse-Potts, all taking turns to pose with cameras in hand. The gesture evokes the memory of Karl Lagerfeld, who used to shoot Chanel campaigns himself.
Viard says in the show notes: “Fashion is about clothes, models, and photographers. 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.”
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