Chanel
It seems only appropriate for a forum like Globescope which is focused on moments in global design, art and culture to reflect upon the work of Chanel. Having just walked through the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia), it seemed about time to celebrate that “originator”, Gabrielle Chanel.
NGV (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne), Gabrielle Chanel, Fashion Manifesto exhibition, 2021.
The NGV exhibition Gabrielle Chanel, Fashion Manifesto, is a reflection on the work of ‘Coco’ Chanel (as we know her) and the themes that drove her design. Strikingly, the exhibition labels it a Fashion Manifesto, thereby publicly declaring a clear set of intentions and motivations that crafted the work.
Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.
From 1883 to 1971 in France, Chanel’s manifesto “was a design style based on principles of comfort, streamlined simplicity and ease of movement that became a template for modern living.” Her design reflected an evolution of women’s roles and position yet she did not identify herself as a feminist. It is this duality that defines he work. Elegant yet casual. Structured yet relaxed. Simplified yet adorned. Accessible yet exclusive. Maybe l am reading too much into it but her iconic use of black and white reflects a clarity of expression and the tension created when opposites come together.
Gabrielle Chanel, Fashion Manifesto exhibition.
It is this ‘tension’ that makes the future of luxury brands including Chanel like walking on a ‘knifes edge’. How to celebrate the heritage without being backwards? How maintain the innovation that Gabrielle Chanel drove, without her doing the driving? Of course new markets have emerged beyond the European mainstay, and appointed ‘ambassadors’ help shape a new found diversity in the Chanel story. These ‘ambassadors’ foster exclusivity whilst providing a more democratic and accessible way into the 140 years old story.
Jennie Kim, ‘ambassador’, continuing Chanel’s desire for modernity.
Perhaps it is right when the NGV states that “Fashion Manifesto illustrates the spirit of freedom and defiance that characterised Chanel’s design language throughout the twentieth century.”
S.W.