Dear Shaded Viewers,
Light, Camera, Action!
A tribute to cinema, Chanel presented its Spring/Summer21 collection with a grand CHANEL sign at the Grand Palais. The viewers were placed in front of the white letters as if they were watching the latest movie by the brand.
In an interview with Vogue, the creative director Virginia Viard said, “I was thinking about actresses at the photocall, on the red carpet, that moment when they’re being called to by the photographers: their faces a little distracted, their attitude a little out of sync with the outfits they’re wearing,” Well, it was on point, because not only the models but we were distracted for a second as well, as it was hard to figure out where the models were walking to.
The brand continued the logomania trend, with Chanel letters visible on the prints of t-shirts, dresses, coats. The collection featured looser shoulders on jackets and tweet suits, flowing dresses with transparent fabrics, bubble gum pink trousers, and lots of accessories…
I remember when I was studying in Polimoda, we were discussing the definition of modernity with my professors and how it was present in the aesthetic of Chanel, because of the way it had liberated women. It didn’t matter if people wore Chanel 50 years ago, if they wore it today or 50 years from now, the garments would always be relevant and timeless.
Looking at Chanel’s recent collection, it was youthful and vibrant once again. But with an ongoing pandemic and global instability, this was a chance for Virginie Viard to make a powerful statement about the future of fashion like Gabriele Chanel once did in her days.
For now, she missed the train.
