Exclusive: A Closer Look At Chanel's Manchester-Inspired Collection
Rock ‘n’ roll! Football! A good dose of classic British prep! Chanel draws from the rollicking city of Manchester to present one of its most youthful Metiers d’Art collections yet, but that doesn’t mean it dials down on the time‐honoured, labour‐intensive savoir faire that this annual showcase is all about. We go in for an exclusive close‐up look at how the maison scores on craftsmanship this time.
Rock ‘n’ roll! Football! A good dose of classic British prep! Chanel draws from the rollicking city of manchester to present one of its most youthful Metiers d’Art collections yet, but that doesn’t mean it dials down on the time‐honoured, labour‐intensive savoir faire that this annual showcase is all about. Keng Yang Shuen goes in for an exclusive close‐up look at how the maison scores on craftsmanship this time
Introduced in 2002, Chanel’s annual Metiers d’Art – or MDA for short – showcase spotlights the savoir faire of the speciality ateliers owned by the maison. (In fact, so committed is it to preserving these workshops, which span the feted embroidery studios Lesage and Montex to the shoemaker Massaro, that it even set up a state‐of‐the‐art hub named Le19M near Paris two years ago to house 11 of them).
Making this highly anticipated collection even more romantic? Each year, Chanel picks a different city with a connection to the house for inspiration as well as to stage a mega show in. Its latest destination of choice: Manchester – the British metropolis that built its fortunes on the textile trade; boasts a colourful past of social reform; and spawned iconic bands such as The Smiths and Joy Division as well as two of the world’s most famous football clubs.
Wool tweed jacket and matching skirt; and metal choker with resin and glass, Chanel
Gabrielle Chanel herself worked with British textile manufacturers from the early days of her business, while her long‐term paramour, the second Duke of Westminster, owned a country house in Eaton Hall, about an hour’s drive outside the city. Mining this rich cultural history, the label has come up with a delightfully girlish, 1960s‐inflected line‐up strong on short and swingy skirt suits that – true to the MDA spirit – deserve a close‐up look. The pockets and neckline of the tweed jacket pictured above, for example, are trimmed with braiding that was hand‐crocheted, then embroidered with floral beads. Meanwhile, all buttons – hand‐crafted by the jeweller Desrues – are unique to each garment.
Fantasy wool tweed coat, and matching skirt and brooch (all sold separately); metal choker with resin and glass, and matching belt and bracelets; and patent calfskin shoulder bag, Chanel
With tweed being a fabric that’s intrinsic to both Chanel and Great Britain, Virginie Viard has gone big on it for the brand’s Metiers d’Art 2023/2024 collection. “Tweed is central to this collection and I thought a lot about Gabrielle Chanel, but didn’t want to recreate Coco’s look when she was wearing the Duke of Westminster’s jackets,” she says. “Instead, I took my cue from the Coco who brought colour to tweeds. I then added a vibrant pop spirit to them.”
From far left: Fantasy cotton tweed coat, and matching cap (in a different colour) and brooch; metal belt with glass and resin; metal bracelet with resin; and tweed and leather top-handle bag. Fantasy wool tweed jacket, and matching skirt, cap and brooch (all sold separately); metal necklace with glass and resin, and matching bracelets; and lambskin clutch. Fantasy tweed coat, and matching skirt, cap and brooch (all sold separately); metal earrings with glass and resin; and metal and calfskin belt. Fantasy tweed coat, and matching skirt and cap (all sold separately); metal earrings with glass and resin, and matching bracelets and cuffs; and leather shoulder bag on leather and metal chain shoulder strap. All Chanel
The fuchsia ensemble above, for example, is made of what Chanel calls “exceptional tweed”, which is hand‐crafted by the century‐old French embroidery and tweed specialist Lesage. The fabric features a total of 15 different types of threads, notably those with a watercolour‐esque finish to evoke the heather of the British countryside. Meanwhile, the accessories pay tribute to Manchester’s rock ‘n’ roll legacy, and include the likes of preppy newsboy caps that look right out of the wardrobes of the Gallagher brothers and – for shoes – leather Mary Janes given a punk update with gold charms. “For me, Manchester is the city of music ... It incites creation,” says Viard.
Fantasy wool camisole, and matching shirt and cap; and metal earring with glass and strass, Chanel
Another playful and unexpected reference to British culture can be found in the embellished fantasy tweed camisole above – its delicately sequinned blossoms are a reinterpretation of traditional English floral prints. Each bloom has been embroidered individually by hand by Lesage’s artisans and the entire garment calls for a total of 16,000 sequins, an additional 134 jewels, and 174 man‐hours.
(From far left) Tweed coat; wool dress; fantasy tweed cap; and metal choker with glass, strass and resin, and matching necklaces and belt, Chanel
Even more ornate is this coat below, which has been deliberately frayed as a nod to Manchester’s music legacy. Its complex patchwork finish comprises two types of black‐and‐white houndstooth tweeds, a plain black tweed, and flowers recreated from a technical fabric not unlike that of football jerseys – all combined to create a textured bouillonne, or bubble, effect, then further adorned with handmade tweed camellias, safety pins and charms.
Denim vest, and matching shirt and bermuda shorts; leather and metal chain necklace; and leather shoulder bag on leather and metal chain shoulder strap, Chanel
For something simpler, there are the all‐denim looks above, but even these have been artfully crafted. Every piece has been washed whole, then overdyed, resulting in a one‐of‐a‐kind wash, while the ruffled edges have been carefully stitched to ensure utmost regularity.
This article first appeared in the July 2024 Overachievers Edition of FEMALE