Paris Fashion Week: Chanel SS21
For Chanel Spring 2021 collection, Virginie Viard got inspired by the sparkling world of cinema, in particular, Hollywood and its myth. It is clear at a first sight, because of the giant letters of Chanel on the runway (in the Grand Palais in Paris, where the fashion show has been held as usual), but also on the cardboard sent to the guests as invitation. The list of movies, celebrities and episodes that inspired Viard is long: many Hollywood starts have worn and still wear Chanel on the red carpet and in their private life, more than once the Maison designed costumes for movies and Coco Chanel herself had personal and artistic connections with this world. The collection is accompanied by a short movie by Inez and Vinoodh, in black and white, that contains all the glamour of the golden age of the cinema.
The collection takes the moves from actresses and their life, not only the one on stage but also the daily routine – their normality, we may say. The designer thinks about them as refined people on all levels, but very down-to-Earth too. Double-breast bouclé blazers have a rather boxy cut and are worn with matching midi skirts with deep split and strappy sandals. There are interesting jackets with matching vest, directly from the male wardrobe and super feminine mini dresses. There is also a street touch, in the black nylon bermuda and neon prints tops. The collection is very much logo-oriented, not only in jewelry and accessories, where the double C alternates with the camelia, but also on the garments, where the Chanel name is embroidered over and over again.
Jewels are just beautiful. We particularly appreciate the pearls necklace with loose hems, which is meant to be run around the neck, but also the thin golden headpiece, with the logo in the middle, which recall a crown or a halo. In the last part of the show the models wore black veils over their head: a very refined detail we have seen around lately. Maybe Chanel’s power is going to turn it in a real trend.
Cover image courtesy: gorunway.com by Lucioni/Oberaouch
