Cover French fashion designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883 - 1971) at a London hotel, 1932. (Photo: Getty Images)
French fashion designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883 - 1971) at a London hotel, 1932. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Running from September 16, 2023 to February 25, 2024, the Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition will be the first UK exhibition dedicated to the French couturiere
After shining the spotlight on a slew of high-profile fashion designers including Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) will be celebrating another couturiere this year: Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.
Running from September 16, 2023, to February 25, 2024, the Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto exhibition will see the evolution of the French couturiere’s iconic design style and the establishment of the House of Chanel.
“Gabrielle Chanel devoted her long life to creating, perfecting and promoting a new kind of elegance based on freedom of movement, a natural and casual pose, a subtle elegance that shuns all extravagances, a timeless style for a new kind of woman. That was her fashion manifesto, a legacy that has never gone out of style,” director of Palais Galliera Miren Arzalluz shares.
In case you missed it: How Chanel continues to fuse style and substance in its watchmaking
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Suit
Autumn/Winter 1964
Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Dress
1935
Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Gabrielle Chanel, Suit Autumn/Winter 1964 Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
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The latest fashion showcase is based on the same exhibition organised by the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, in 2020. The new iteration will be the first UK exhibition dedicated to Chanel and will feature over 100 new looks, including rarely seen pieces from the V&A collection. The new pieces will be featured alongside looks from the Palais Galliera and Patrimonie de Chanel.
Some highlights include one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments from 1916; an example of Chanel’s ground-breaking evening trousers; and outfits created for various Hollywood stars.
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Costumes for Le Train Bleu
1924 (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Dress
1932
Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Gabrielle Chanel, Costumes for Le Train Bleu 1924 (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
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Director of the V&A Tristram Hunt explains how the latest exhibition is an opportunity to honour the founder of one of the “most successful fashion houses in existence” and explore the various elements of her enduring style.
The exhibition will comprise 10 themed sections, exploring Chanel’s innovative approach to fashion design while showcasing an array of her most notable designs from her six years in fashion.
Start at the Towards a New Elegance section and you’ll learn about Chanel’s career—from starting as a milliner to opening her first boutique in 1910. Then, walk through the exhibition and explore how she developed her signature style, the impact of her debut perfume N°5, her post-war contribution to fashion and more.
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Marinière Blouse Spring/Summer 1916
Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Above Gabrielle Chanel, Dress and jacket Suit Spring/Summer 1926
Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
Gabrielle Chanel, Marinière Blouse Spring/Summer 1916 Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris (Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope)
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The Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto exhibition will run from September 16, 2023, to February 25, 2024. Tickets are available for purchase at the official V&A website.
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Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
