A Night at the Opera
Review of Chanel Fall 2024 Couture Fashion Show
By Mark Wittmer
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
Virginie Viard may have already taken her final bow at Chanel, but the community of celebrity muses she cultivated during her run as creative director hasn’t gone anywhere. In the front row at the Palais Garnier opera house sat Naomi Campbell, Keira Knightley, Greta Gerwig, and many more, as if to say that all eyes should remain on Chanel during its moment of creative transition.
The Fall 2024 couture collection designed by the house’s studio team nodded to the operatic location while playing it understandably close to signature design codes. Embellished tweed jackets are adorned with aristocratic ruffles, a bit reminiscent of some of Karl Lagerfeld’s more rococo moments at the house. The Victorian drama extended across capes and tutus, too.
Nonetheless, we can already feel a new design language at work. The proportions feel considered in a new way, and while it still feels like there a lot of embellishments distracting from the silhouettes themselves, the shoulders and waistlines fall perfectly. Even though they don’t always work out, it’s also exciting to see a few moments of structural and material experimentation.
THE BUZZWORDS
Opulent. Victorian. Feminine. Dignified.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look #35
Again, not every experiment worked out fully, but the very presence of a vinyl skirt in combination with this feather-adorned, intricately crystalline bralette-esque bodice stands as a subtle confirmation that we may be entering exciting new territory.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
It’s exciting to see Chanel’s design team stretch its wings a bit as it considers how to carry forward the house’s signature codes during a new era. As with any creative director exit, rumors are swirling about who will be next, with the name John Galliano frequently tossed into the mix. No doubt that would be exciting, and this collection confirms that this studio team in partnership with a visionary creative director could go far. A younger talent might be a better move though, and it would be great to see a woman lead this woman-founded house; would it be too hopeful to interpret all the bows in this collection as a hint toward the appointment of Simone Rocha?
Whatever the new name may be, it’s clear that Chanel as a brand still has a strong grasp on its historic design codes and visual identity. It remains to be seen who is the right designer to show what these codes can mean today and tomorrow.
