Home to Hollywood. The land of the fit and the fab. Sunkissed party central. No matter its facet or the era, Los Angeles invokes at once glamour, a playful charm and inspiration quite like no other city in the world. The house of Chanel is familiar with its mystique. Gabrielle Chanel spent over a month there in the early ’30s kitting out silver screen sirens to help draw women into cinemas – something the maison continues to do with its friends and ambassadors from the film industry. Karl Lagerfeld was famously fond of it, particularly its culture of celebrity and brand of recreation: breezy and postcard-perfect. Present-day artistic director Virginie Viard herself can be said to be connected by way of her professional roots as a costume designer. Now with the Cruise 2023/2024 season, she deepens those ties with a youthful collection that pays homage to multiple aesthetics that epitomise LA chic. Together with Chanel, FEMALE casts the camera on seven. Rolling!
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
Cashmere cardigan with jewelled buttons; matching halter neck top; denim shorts with jewelled buttons; resin earrings with metal and strass; metal choker; metal pendant necklace with resin, glass beads and strass; long metal necklace with strass; metal chain belt with leather, glass beads and strass; metal and resin cuff; 11.12 tweed bag with metal and leather chain shoulder strap; metal key rings with strass (on left) and faux fur (on right); and viscose legwarmers, Chanel. Ear studs on model’s model’s own
The flirtatious, form-fitting attire of retro sporting and wellness trends synonymous with Los Angeles (think surfing, aerobics and rollerskating) get a hyper-glamorous makeover with high-shine embellishments, artisanal fabric treatments and unexpected little details. This ’70s-inflected, rollergirl-esque look, for example, is Chanel’s iconic two-tone cashmere twinset given a Californian cool vibe. The pastel pink and green reference the shades of the equally iconic Beverly Hills Hotel while the knit top features a halter-style strap with a buckle, creating the appearance of a choker. Zero in on the buttons: They’re covered in what the brand calls “unicorn tears” – the tiniest of strass available. Short shorts and trendy leg warmers complete the statement athleisure look.
NIGHT & DAY
Fantasy tweed dress with braided trim; neoprene T-shirt; metal and resin earrings; metal pendant necklace with resin, glass beads and strass; long metal necklace with strass; metal chain belt with leather, glass beads and strass; metal key ring with faux fur (worn attached to belt); metal and resin cuffs (on both wrists); cotton leg warmers with sequins; patent leather pumps with grosgrain bow; and plexiglass Minaudiere with enamel, strass and metal, Chanel
Los Angeles is a city where it’s normal for people to wear their sunglasses long into the evening. Playing on this fluidity, Virginia Viard has brought to Chanel’s classic tweed jackets and dresses a youthful irreverence that can only be described as quintessentially LA, contrasting them with both activewear and party-ready accessories for a look that’ll last from one sunrise to the next.
BOOGIE NIGHTS
Cashmere-blend cardigan with sequins, jewelled buttons and removable hood; jersey top with jewelled buttons; wool jogger pants; metal and resin earrings; metal and resin cuff (on both); and Fantasy leather platform slingbacks with grosgrain toe caps, Chanel
Because Los Angeles has always been one of the glitziest party cities around and how better to celebrate this than through the lens of disco? Sexy ’70s-inspired tops and flared pants in metallic finishes (sequins, liquid gold lamé, mini mirrored discs reminiscent of those on disco balls) are unapologetically flamboyant and recreate the joyful insouciance of the decade. The footwear is equally fun, including wedges with a sunset-like, gradient iridescent effect, and laced boots and Oxfords with LED-equipped block heels (you charge these up using a USB cable) so one can literally light up the dancefloor.
HOLLYWOOD SIRENS
(Left) Jacquard denim waistcoat with braided trim; matching top and skirt with lace; metal and resin earrings; metal choker; long metal necklace with strass; metal chain belt with leather, glass beads and strass; and metal and resin cuff, Chanel. (Right) Crepe top with strass, leather pants and mirrored leather Oxford pumps with light-up heels, Chanel
Virginie Viard started her career as a costume designer for movies – a role Gabrielle Chanel herself took on at the invitation of the Hollywood producer/film pioneer Samuel Goldwyn close to a century ago. This long and intimate history between Chanel and cinema makes Paramount Studios – the venue for the Chanel Cruise 2023/2024 show in May – a fitting one. It might also explain Viard’s romantic, almost nostalgic approach to emulating the style of silver screen goddesses for the collection. Think gilded, long and flowy sheer skirts and dresses such as the bohemian three-piece look (above left) that marry movie star glamour with a carefreeness evocative of LA (and, some might say, Paris).
ULTRA VIOLET
Wool cardigan with sequins and jewelled buttons; matching pants; leather bag with pouch (sold together); and Fantasy leather platform slingbacks with grosgrain toe caps, Chanel
A term Chanel uses to refer to the play with the colour purple and its many charismatic shades – from pretty mauve to electric magenta – in this collection. It’s the brand’s way of paying tribute to “the vibrant, free-spirited style setters of the City of Angels”, but it’s also a colour that characterises LA’s iconically picturesque sunsets. The looks under this theme are suitably sophisticated yet relaxed such as this gossamer, intarsia knit sweater and track pants adorned with palm tree motifs and all-over sequins. This glossy flap bag that comes with a matching star-shaped pouch meanwhile is a nod to Hollywood Boulevard and a star bag of the season: Also available in pink, silver and gold, it can be carried on the shoulder or across the back.
SENSUAL ALLURE
Satin devore coat with jewelled buttons, matching pants, metal earrings, and suede platform sandals, Chanel
If you’re thinking that this star-patterned robe-like coat and matching flowy pants are channelling PJs, you’re on point. Here’s another category in the Chanel Cruise 2023/2024 collection that pays homage to how the line between day and night blurs in dreamy LA. This look in particular is inspired by the nightgowns actresses would wear for photoshoots in the early days of Hollywood. The lightly padded finish lends comfort while the coat combines the silhouette of a blouson and a skirt for dramatic movement. Day-to-night glamour doesn’t get more cosy than this.
RODEO DRIVE
(Left) Jersey halter neck bikini top with bead and strass embroidery; cotton shorts with strass; metal and resin earrings; lambskin leather backpack with chain straps; metal chain belt with leather, glass beads and strass; long metal necklace with strass (worn around waist); metal key ring with faux fur (worn attached to belts); metal and resin cuffs (on both wrists); viscose legwarmers; and calfskin roller skates, Chanel. (Right) Making the knit jacket extra-collectible: a heart motif and the word “Coco” entirely hand-embroidered across its back. Cotton jacket with braided trim and jewelled buttons; matching sweater and shorts; metal and resin earrings with strass; and laminated leather flap bag, Chanel
Los Angeles’ most famous high-end shopping belt calls for polished tweed skirt suits for ladies who lunch, but Virginie Viard has also catered to those whose core memory of the street might come instead from Clueless. Cropped hemlines and candy colours put a hyper-fun and girlish spin on Chanel’s two-piece ensembles without dialling down on the luxuriousness. The braided trim on the look above on the left, for example, is hand-crocheted for a slightly raw, artisanal touch, taking three hours to complete and apply to the jacket and another two for the shorts.
Photography Stefan Khoo Photography Assistant Alif Production Noelle Loh Styling Damian Huang Styling Assistant Danessa Tong Hair Sean Ang Makeup Wee Ming, using Chanel Beauty Models Ally Teo/Mannequin Studio & Juna/Now Model Management
This article first appeared in the December 2023 This Great City Edition of FEMALE