CHANEL’s creative director Virginie Viard sought inspiration from Gabrielle Chanel’s close friendship with poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau for the Cruise 2021/22 collection, pairing opposing colours with a more disheveled aesthetic. In order to navigate the challenging climate of the COVID-19 pandemic, Viard decided to host the runway presentation at the Carrières de Lumières, using the clean lines and unique shapes of the outdoor quarry to bring focus onto her designs. The camaraderie between Chanel and Cocteau found the two challenging each other creatively, prompting them to explore different facets of their ingenuity. As a result, the outing featured a primarily black and white colour palette to strategically reflect and absorb light, while also establishing an alluring dichotomy between the two hues, a phenomenon that was adored by both Chanel and Crocteau alike. Details such as clean lines and structured silhouettes are juxtaposed with cropped garments, raw hems, and leather fringe, while pearl belly chains, straight leg denim, and layered styling alluded to the noughties. Handwritten and decorated letters from CHANEL ambassadors such as Margot Robbie, Lily-Rose Depp, and Xin Zhilei were featured, who each voiced their excitement to tune in to the digital broadcast of the collection.
View the gallery for our top looks, an exclusive look at the fittings, and an inside look at the location.
CHANEL Merges Punk and Minimalism for Cruise 2021/2022 Collection
1 / 30
