A Dreamy Meeting of Cultures: Chanel 2024/25 Metiers d’Art in Hangzhou

Fairies exist in Hangzhou. I met one in the form of Nana, a 25-year-old therapist at the traditional Chinese healing centre Jiu Chun Tang, who patiently explained to me the basics of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) as she kneaded then heated my back in my first moxibustion experience. There was also Belle, a waitress at the sleek, one Michelin-starred Ru Yuan, who exuded such infectious pride in her job as she introduced every one of the 17 divine dishes served at lunch. (And as fate would have it, her equally polite and hospitable supervisor introduced himself as – wait for it – Adonis.)

I had been whisked to Hangzhou by Chanel for its 2024/25 Metiers d’art show – the latest edition of this annual affair that was launched in 2002 to spotlight the expertise and creations of the brand’s specialised artisans, many of which now reside in the complex known as Le19M in Paris (for a quick lesson on it, click here). Every year, a place with a special connection to Coco Chanel – and often one known for its beauty and craft heritage – typically serves as inspiration and show location. (Previous destinations have included New York, Dakar and her very own home.)

Now, Gabrielle Chanel never visited Hangzhou – in fact, she never got to step foot in China. Yet she discovered the allure of this city popularly nicknamed “heaven on earth” through a screen: an antique coromandel said to be the largest in her collection (she was a fan of such Chinese lacquered screens) and that still stands in her apartment in Rue Cambon in Paris with its elaborate engraving of West Lake, the UNESCO World Heritage site that’s Hangzhou’s most celebrated cultural landmark.

Surrounded by gentle hills, lush greenery, temples and pagodas, West Lake is so breathtaking that it’s been the subject of countless poems and artworks since the Tang Dynasty. Coupled with how Hangzhou is also a silk capital and the scenic freshwater lake was chosen to be the setting of this year’s Metiers d’Art show.

Ahead of the occasion, the maison enlisted cinema great Wim Wenders to film the silver screen goddess Tilda Swinton in a poetic short about journeying from Rue Cambon to West Lake with the nymph-like Chinese actress Xin Zhilei and Beijing-born singer Leah Dou as her trusted aides. All three are ambassadors of the house with the appointment of Dou – the effortlessly cool 27-year-old daughter of the legendary Faye Wong – officially announced in conjunction with the release of the film (you can watch it below). 

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At dusk on Dec 3, this romantic homage to travel and the spirited exchange of cultures moved from screen – first coromandel, then digital – into real life as Chanel unveiled its 2024/25 Metiers d’Art collection on the fabled lake. Starting with Liu Wen (another house ambassador), 65 models strode onto a runway that led into a temporary amphitheater Chanel had erected just off the north bank of West Lake, their reflection in the water creating the magical illusion of them walking on it. 

It was a fitting sight considering how what they wore was a spellbinding and masterful combination of the classic and au courant, French and Chinese, and sophisticated and playfully youthful (expect the collection in stores mid-2025). Extravagant, exoticised take on traditional Chinese dressing this was not.

The brand’s signature tweed skirt suits, for example, had been flirtatiously shrunken then embellished subtly with frogging – ornamental braided closures popular on Chinese garments – hand sewn by the textile studio Paloma. Sheer, skin-tight jumpsuits embroidered with motifs found on the coromandel that started this whole odyssey were layered under some of these looks, lending a beguiling Gen Z-esque touch.

Other references to local tastes and heritage were equally unexpected yet measured. See the metallic yellow gold slip dress with 3D flowers across the neckline, which leaned more towards fun and glamorous than in-your-face glitz, or kicky, fan-like silk skirts and pajama pants hand-pressed by the pleater Lognon. Silhouettes were generally kept simple, elegant and everyday-friendly with the kung fu of Chanel’s metiers d’art – such as the embroidery specialist Lesage, which celebrated its centennial this year – coming through in their adornments and finishes.

The key shoe was a pair of mid-calf boots made by the bespoke shoemaker Massaro and modelled after Coco Chanel’s own – practical and versatile. They came in plain black leather, brown suede or – for something more decorative – all-over sequins artfully laid out by Lesage to resemble a glistening Chinese water colour painting of mountains. 

And because this is ultimately a collection about travel, there were all manner of ultra-desirable bags for the road. Think quilted overnight bags, oversized hobos, vanity cases and more, all punctuated with graphic, envelope-style pockets (something you’ll also find on jackets) or accompanying mini handbags to suggest the sweet practice of letter-writing.

For the after-party, Chanel flew in the French indie rock band Phoenix for a mini concert that got everybody – local and foreign – dancing and cheering rapturously (see the video below). Whether this choice of performer was a cheeky nod to the show location is anyone’s guess: Legend has it West Lake was formed after a pearl created by a golden phoenix and jade dragon fell accidentally to earth, and that the two creatures transformed into the two mountains that flank it. 

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It’s exactly this sort of fun, open and heartfelt, two-way exchange with Hangzhou that’s made the Chanel 2024/25 Metiers d’Art collection such a success, leaving one with a newfound – if not greater – appreciation for both the maison and the Chinese city. This is a fairy tale of how two cultures meet and mingle to create something magnificent – one that many in the world now could take a lesson or two from.

Scroll ahead to see every look from this amazing collection.