Virginie Viard looks to the past and re-imagines the present.
Virginie Viard looks to the past and re-imagines the present.
Virginie Viard’s Chanel Fall-Winter 2022/23 Haute Couture show is inspired by elements from iconic collections in Chanel’s heyday. The collection looks back to the 1930s and the 1970s, with an amalgamation of Mademoiselle Chanel’s classic pieces and the “graphic” décor of which Karl Lagerfeld was most interested in. Pharrell Williams opened the Paris show with a techno beats set, which quickly transforms into a serene, dramatic setting that allows for ultimate focus on the looks themselves.
This new collection exhibits long dresses and suiting in the way that Mademoiselle Chanel originally interpreted them in the 1930s. Silhouettes are sleek and feminine, with strong shoulders, ankle-grazing lengths, and billowing pleats. Textural elements are sparse but elegant – lace is hidden in details throughout, and the quintessential Chanel tweed creates timeless peacoat sets with 1930s-inspired round shoulders and square backs.
Standout looks included unstructured tweed pantsuits and an elegantly tailored metallic floor-length coat. A 1930s-inspired black velvet set featured a top with an exaggerated deep v-neck, and billowing pleated chiffon skirts were paired with dramatic strapless necklines.
The collection is made up of eccentric, 70s-inspired hues including bright green tweed, khaki suit sets, and an abundance of beige, pink, black, and silver. The show was hosted in the Etrier de Paris equestrian centre, creating an equestrian ambiance that contrasted with Viard’s feminine color palette and gauzy silhouettes. Viard also chose to incorporate equestrian-inspired footwear such as cowboy boots (which were paired with draped long skirts), and t-strap pumps.
“These boots also echo the previous Haute Couture show that opened with Charlotte Casiraghi on horseback,” added Viard. She also pays tribute to Mademoiselle Chanel’s “Bijoux de Diamants” collection (her first collection created in 1932) with necklaces reminiscent of “celestial elements” that play harmoniously with the delicate pleats in her skirts and dresses. “I also like to break the graphic approach with a natural look. The clothes remain light, feminine, and designed to be worn. I can’t see myself doing it any other way,” said Viard.
Credits: All images courtesy of Chanel.
