French luxury fashion house Chanel chose rugged Manchester as the setting for its recent Métiers d’Art show, which saw the brand’s tweed collection and vintage-inspired skirt suits parade down Thomas Street as night fell. The decision to show the collection in the so-called “Warehouse City” in England followed presentations in Tokyo and Dakar. The most recent event was dedicated to the brand’s 2023/24 collection, designed and crafted by creative director Virginie Viard.
The Métiers d’Art concept was created by Chanel to represent both the skills of the artists and artisans and the city in which they are located. According to Chanel, Manchester represents the “base of a musical culture that has changed the face of the world” and is now the meeting place for everyone who identifies with it. Viard added in the show notes for the collection: “For me, Manchester is the city of music. It encourages you to create.”
Manchester ‘stimulates creation’
This mindset was reflected in some of the clothing, where the typical “rock look” often associated with Manchester’s music scene was subtly replaced by what was described as “the poetry of emotion with a sixties touch”. became. With this in mind, Viard consciously chose bold colors throughout almost the entire collection: salmon pink, apple green and mustard yellow, which were intended to stand out clearly from the industrial backdrop.
However, the designer didn’t stray too far from the UK aesthetic, as evidenced by her use of Shetland knitwear, Bermuda shorts and wrap skirts reminiscent of post-war Britain. These were offset by “fun touches” in the form of floral embroidery and teapots, as well as contrasting denim, leather and sleepwear ensembles, again staying true to the venue city’s street style.
Of course, the heritage and code of the house were maintained. Viard emphasized that she wanted to stay true to these signatures, stating: “Tweed is a central part of this collection. I thought a lot about Gabrielle Chanel, but I didn’t want to recreate the look of Coco when she wore the Duke of Westminster’s jackets. I took my cue from Coco, who added color to her tweeds. I gave them a lively, poppy character.”
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk
