At Chanel, An Ode To A Historic French Villa And Private Sanctuary For Creatives
In collaboration with Chanel, FEMALE recreates the magic of Villa Noailles, the inspiration behind the Chanel Spring/Summer 2024 collection, right here in Singapore.
Imagine a house on a hill that’s been designed by an architectural legend, and lovingly taken care of and decorated by its down-to-earth avant-garde homeowners: a private sanctuary so alluring it inspires other creative minds for decades to come.
Such is Villa Noailles, built by the modernist star Robert Mallet-Stevens for the art-loving couple Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles in Hyeres in southeastern France – and the starting point for Chanel’s artistic director Virginie Viard this season. “This Spring Summer 2024 collection is an ode to liberty and movement, and tells a story that has its origins in the gardens of the Villa Noailles”, she says.
The result is a blithesome and romantic reimagining of what guests to the mansion would wear today: lightweight capes and skirt suits that can be thrown over sensual swimwear; loungey maxi-length tweed tunics; and diaphanous, drop-waist dresses perfect for soaking up that golden sunlight in.
From left: Mary wears neoprene jacket with jewelled buttons, matching pants, and velvet flip flops. Charleigh wears fantasy tweed jacket with jewelled buttons and braided trim; matching skirt; jersey swim top; metal earrings with resin, strass and glass beads; matching choker and necklaces; and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. Janelle wears fantasy cotton tweed dress; metal earrings with strass and glass beads; resin and metal cuffs; small calfskin crossbody bag; and velvet flip flops. Viviana wears embroidered tweed hooded coat with jewelled buttons and braided trim; metal and strass choker; metal necklaces with pearls, glass and strass (worn looped twice around neck, and singly); 11.12 leather flap bag, and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bow. All Chane
From near right: Viviana wears sequinned fantasy tweed dress with jewelled buttons and braided trim; metal necklaces with resin, strass and glass beads; and velvet flip flops. Mary wears fantasy tweed dress with braided trim; metal earrings with strass and glass beads; calfskin belt with metal and glass beads; resin and metal cuffs; and velvet flip flops. All Chanel
Top left corner picture, on left: Janelle wears embroidered silk organza dress with attached bow; double-tiered metal necklace with resin and glass beads; metal and strass cuffs; and fabric and leather slingbacks with grosgrain bows. Corner top left picture, on right: Mary wears silk organza blouse with jewelled buttons; cotton tweed and organza skirt; cotton-blend tights; metal and strass necklaces with freshwater pearls and glass beads (worn stacked); and leather boots. Bottom left corner picture, middle: Viviana wears viscose jumpsuit with jewelled buttons; metal and strass necklace with resin and glass beads (on neck, top); metal necklace with glass beads (on neck, bottom); resin and metal cuffs; small lambskin flap bag; and fabric and leather slingbacks with grosgrain bows. All Chanel
From far left: Viviana wears fantasy cotton tweed jacket with jewelled buttons; matching bermuda shorts; metal and strass choker with glass beads; metal and strass necklace with resin and glass beads; metal and strass necklaces with freshwater pearls and glass beads (worn stacked around waist); leather mini purse with metal chain and pearls; and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. Charleigh wears sequinned tweed jacket with jewelled buttons; silk organza blouse with jewelled buttons; cotton shorts; metal and strass choker; leather mini purse with metal chain and pearls; and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. All Chanel
From near right: Janelle wears sequinned cotton jersey jacket with jewelled buttons; matching pants; metal and strass necklace; metal and strass necklaces with glass beads and with and without freshwater pearls (worn stacked around waist); and velvet flip flops. Follow Mary wears fantasy tweed dress with jewelled buttons and braided trim; metal and strass earrings with resin; metal and strass necklaces with resin and glass beads (on neck, top and bottom); metal necklace with resin and glass beads (on neck, middle); Chanel 22 mini metallic mesh bag with strass and metal; and velvet flip flops. All Chanel
Charleigh wears fantasy tweed hooded cape with jewelled buttons; jersey swimsuit; metal and strass necklace with freshwater pearls and glass beads (worn looped twice around necl); double-tiered metal necklace with resin and glass beads (on neck, bottom); leather handbag with metal; and velvet flip flops. Janelle wears wool tweed jacket with jewelled buttons; matching pants; cotton knit top; metal and strass choker; metal and strass necklace with freshwater pearls and glass beads (worn looped twice around neck); leather handbag with metal; and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. All Chanel
From left: Viviana wears cotton ribbed jersey tank top; leather skirt with jewelled buttons; metal and resin earrings; metal and strass choker with glass beads; metal and strass necklace with resin and glass beads; calfskin belt with metal and glass beads; resin and metal cuffs; mini cotton and wool-blend tweed flap bag; and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. Charleigh wears cashmere hooded sweater; large cotton crochet tote; resin and metal cuffs; and cotton and silk Mary Jane flats. Janelle wears silk satin jacket with braided trim; embroidered tweed pants; double-tiered metal necklace with resin and glass beads; metal and strass necklaces with freshwater pearls and glass beads (worn stacked around neck). All Chanel
From left: Janelle wears viscose dress; matching collar; and metal and strass necklaces with freshwater pearls and glass beads (stacked on neck). Mary wears cotton tweed jacket with jewelled buttons and braided trim; matching skirt; double-tiered metal necklace with resin and glass beads; metal necklace with glass beads (bottom); and leather slingbacks with strass and grosgrain bows. Charleigh wears tweed jacket with sequins and jewelled buttons; cotton knit top and matching skirt; cotton and polyamide tights; metal and strass necklace with glass beads (worn looped twice around neck), fabric flap bag; and cotton Mary Jane flats. All shoes, Chanel
PRODUCTION NOELLE LOH PHOTOGRAPHY REBECCA TOH STYLING DAMIAN HUANG PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS ALIF & YANN CLOITRE STYLING ASSISTANTS DANESSA TONG & CALEB LIM HAIR PETER LEE MAKEUP CLARENCE LEE MODELS CHARLEIGH, JANELLE, MARY & VIVIANA/BASIC MODELS MANAGEMENT LOCATION SPECIAL THANKS TO TAN NGIAP HENG
This article first appeared in the April 2024 Art Book of FEMALE