Birds of a Feather
Review of Chanel Spring 2025 Fashion Show
By Mark Wittmer
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Light. Feathery. Familiar.
After three years, Chanel returned to the Grand Palais for its Spring 2025 runway show. The building which has been the go-to home of the house’s runway shows was closed in 2021 for renovations – which were supported by Chanel – and is set to the open to the public in 2025. Other than the Olympics fencing competitions in July, Chanel’s presence marks the inaugural event for the renovated steel and glass structure, complete with a new grand entrance named for Gabrielle Chanel.
Also in signature Chanel fashion were the celebrity guests, including Naomi Campbell, Jennie of Blackpink, Lupita Nyong’o, Margaret Qualley, and a special performance by singer and actor Riley Keough – who sang Prince’s “When Doves Cry” while perched in a giant birdcage that referenced one of the house’s 90s perfume ads.
It felt like a return to form, but the only thing still missing was a creative director. As we await the announcement of Virginie Viard’s successor, the creative direction of the brand’s collections is still being handled by its in-house design team. Understandably, the collection thus plays it fairly safe, embarking on a breezy and sparkling exploration of house classics. Tweed sets are adorned with feather embellishments that move like a springtime breeze; romantic capes are given heightened drama through long flowing bows, but also made casual in conversation with denim jeans. Continuing the nod to the birdcage and the Prince song, the theme of feathers carried throughout both in the form of actual feathers, prints, and a general motif of lightness. Especially in contrast with the sometimes heavy-handed uses of signature tweed, the collection’s best moments came when the design team peeled back the overt opulence and let simplicity soar.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
While the collection gave plenty of Chanel to tide the brand’s customers over until the unveiling of its next creative chapter, it’s impossible not to think about the cohesion and freshness that the fashion world is still awaiting with baited breath – especially when there’s so much conversation about who will be the brand’s next Karl Lagerfeld and reinvent it with a new relevance. Nonetheless, the show is a strong reminder of how iconic the Chanel archive is, and what excitement awaits when this bird is set free from its cage.
