Chanel looks to wedding parties for spring haute couture

For spring/summer 2021 haute couture, Chanel’s Virginie Viard was
inspired by wedding parties and the spirit of family.

Explaining her vision for the collection, Chanel’s creative director
Viard said in the show notes: “I knew we couldn’t organise a big show, that
we would have to invent something else, so I came up with the idea of a
small cortege that would come down the stairs of the Grand Palais and pass
beneath arches of flowers. Like a family celebration, a wedding.

“I love big family reunions when the generations all come together. It’s
so warm. There’s this spirit at Chanel today. Because Chanel is also like a
family.”

Chanel’s grand wedding party took place in Grand Palais in Paris with a
circular catwalk featuring flowered arches, festoon lighting, petals
scattered everywhere, and a giant marquee.

While other fashion houses have showcased their couture collections with
no audiences, Chanel decided to unveil theirs in front of a select few
brand ambassadors like Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Vanessa Paradis and
her daughter, Lily-Rose Depp. All were socially-distanced around the
catwalk sat on gilded chairs on wooden floorboards.

Chanel decided to bring a fun, upbeat energy to a coronavirus hit
couture week with a party atmosphere from the start, sending the models all
down at once down the curved stairs of the grand building, before
highlighting each individual look.

Chanel threw a wedding party for spring/summer 2021 couture show

Regarding the clothes, Viard said: “I’m always thinking about what women
would like to have in their wardrobe today,” and that it seems is ruffled
petticoat skirts, black tweed dresses, tulle gowns, feather embellishments,
demure white blouses, lace made of daisies, trouser suits and jackets
inspired by men’s waistcoats.

All of which were sent down the catwalk with two-tone Mary-Jane shoes
with a double strap in the style of the shoes worn by tango dancers, or
booties with wedge heels decorated with a fine golden quilt-like grid.

Each piece from the collection was inspired by the idea of dance, of
freedom and of summer evening parties, which we all will be back this year.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Chanel haute couture collection without the
bride finale, which this season came out on horseback. The bride looked
like she had stepped out of a 1920s photo, with a long gown and train made
from ecru satin crêpe, embroidered by Lesage with strass and pearl
butterflies, with a wing collar, shirt cuffs and covered buttons.
Beautifully worn with a crystal-embellished long veil that sparkled in the
light and white cowboy boots.

Chanel also highlighted its collaborations with its Maisons d’Art craft
workshops for the 32-piece collection, explaining that the Montex Atelier
made the embroidered macramé of a long dress in pearl grey tulle while
delicate feathers by the House of Lemarié embellish the organza flounces of
a little dress in black tweed.

While the collection might have been lighthearted and elegant with a
distinct vision, there was still one glaring thing – there was no diversity
on display. Once again, Chanel opted to cast all-white models for a
collection all about family.