Chanel Spring 2023 Couture
Chanel Spring 2023 Couture
By: Abby Fulmar
Chanel’s Spring 2023 Couture show did what Chanel does best: present new and exciting looks while staying true to its roots. Carrying on Karl Lagerfeld’s propensity for larger-than-life sets, Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director, took inspiration from Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment. Chanel’s apartment was decorated with wooden statues of various animals as well as unique drawings done by Chanel herself. Aspects of the statues and drawings could be found throughout the show, beginning with many of the models being rolled out in massive wooden statues based on those found in the apartment.
The collection featured many of Chanel’s classic tweed sets adorned with sequins as well as flowy, lingerie-inspired gowns perfect for the spring season. Kept very minimalistic with limited color, this collection shows the continuing shift of the brand from Lagerfeld’s rock-chic attitude to Viard’s more minimalistic style.
Throughout the show the models could be seen wearing masculine top hats and bow ties, a stark contrast to the outfits themselves which included the more traditionally feminine, 1960s mod style that the brand is known for. Besides these embellishments, the main statement pieces of the show were the late 19th-century style heeled, lace-up boots. All of these accessories worked in tandem to show eras that were crucial to Chanel and the evolution of the brand.
Tweed is undoubtedly the most recognizable Chanel trademark. Besides the few pops of color sprinkled throughout, the majority of the tweeds were black, white, and gold. Staying within this color family helped keep the looks minimalistic, much like the set that was surrounding them. The choice to incorporate such a large amount of black and gold could have also been to acknowledge the 1920s, the decade when Chanel rose in popularity.
Viard and the Chanel team did an exceptional job of combining past and modern eras of fashion, a concept that is big in the fashion world at the moment. While it might not be the most extravagant Chanel show, this collection reminds people why Chanel is still one of the biggest names in the industry after more than 100 years.
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