As guests filtered into the Palais de Justice in Dakar to witness Virginie Viard’s Métiers d’art 2022/23 collection, they were welcomed by dancers performing ‘Slow Show’, a piece of choreography urging them to slow down to take in the proceedings. An apt allegory for how Viard and her team at Chanel cultivated this collection over three years inspired by conversations with friends of the house based in the Senegalese capital.
Meaningful Connections
Dakar’s reputation as an influential artistic capital led Viard and her team to seek deep creative dialogues through a series of artistic collaborations that went beyond the runway. A teaser documentary series by Lydj Ly and Kourtrajmé (a French association and collective of artists working in the audio-visual field, that provides free training and guidance for young Senegalese filmmakers and scriptwriters) chronicled the collection from the Chanel ateliers to the unfolding of the multi-day event in Dakar. The aforementioned choreography as well as a performance during the show, featuring a multigenerational 50 plus cast of amateur and professional dancers, was born from a collaboration between choreographer and dancer Dimitri Chamblas and the École des Sables. Senegalese singer Obree Daman and his choir provided the vibrant vocals that soundtracked the show. Long-term plans have also been set in motion with Chanel pledging to create a lasting impact beyond the show by supporting Senegalese entrepreneurial initiatives that will focus on the transmission of savoir-faire and sustainable practices for the circularity of raw materials.
Not That 70’s Show
The counterpoint to Dakar was the 1970s. Virginie Viard paid homage to the era synonymous with freedom and effervescent energy with a jubilant Métiers d’art collection that celebrated colour, craftsmanship, and the codes of Chanel. Silhouettes from the 70s like fitted long-line coats, flared trousers, and distinctively retro collars made an appearance, but these were hardly boring reruns. The flared trousers came in tweeds or knits with elasticised waistbands; these had the ease of sweatpants with a fabulous body-skimming fit. The coats, mostly rendered in tweeds elongated the silhouette with a narrow shoulder and a slight flare after the hip, one version featured artfully distressed yarns resembling a mossy forest floor from a distance with glimpses of a boldly patterned lining inspired by tropical flora and fauna peeking out as the model moved. The plant motif was seen elsewhere printed on flowy dresses and shirts.
Florals have always been a big part of Chanel, dainty camellias rendered in fabric engulfed a camisole top, larger camellias were abstracted in a Warholian manner on a wooden beaded skirt, and delicate lace pieces embedded with floral motifs came coated, embellished and embroidered. Another beloved symbol the lion, adorned chunky gold necklaces paired with colourful sautoirs and swooping gold chains. The layering of jewellery wasn’t limited to necklaces, bejewelled vests in metal, chain and pearls glimmered on a bare bodied torso or were slightly obscured under a cloak of lace. Crystal chainmail collars, ties and cuffs closed the show adding drama and precious sparkle to a duo of all-black looks.
Besides the obvious surface embellishments, a lot of what makes the Métiers d’art collections truly spectacular and special is often hardly perceptible at first. What appears to be a regular marled knit reveals a surface embroidered with a plethora of tiny sequins, so densely spaced that one barely notices till they catch the light. A monochromatic ‘tweed’ is pleated silk hand painted with expressive brushstrokes that spell CHANEL. A striped boucle dress is filled in with beadwork to mimic the irregular texture of the fabric. The ingenuity of the different metiers shine the brightest when the work is so discreet and subtle. To make light work of what one can only imagine to be an extremely time consuming and complicated process is precisely what makes these pieces so precious and unique.
Creative Direction: Chia Wei Choong
Photography: Stefan Khoo
Videography: Belle & Hoya
Hair: Peter Lee
Makeup: Keith Bryant Lee
Photography Assistant: Alif
Model: Mary / Basic & Lishi / Mannequin
Styling Assistants: Caleb Lim & Marcus Guo
