GABRIELLE CHANEL. FASHION MANIFESTO
The V&A has opened the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of CHANEL and the evolution of her iconic design style which continues to influence the way women dress today.
Chanel's story is a fine example of rags to riches. Born into poverty and having lost her Mother at a young age, she was brought up in a convent.
Image: Gabrielle Chanel, 31 rue Cambon, 1937, Paris. Photo: Roger Schall/Condé Nast/Shutterstock.
At the entrance to the exhibition, the Marinière blouse, marks Chanel's legacy of defining the modern women's wardrobe. Made of jersey, an inexpensive fabric, the Marinière blouse elevated fabrics such as jersey to the heights of haute couture and provided comfort as part of style.
Image: Marinière blouse, by Gabrielle Chanel, Spring/Summer 1916. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Highlights include one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments from 1916; original costumes designed by Chanel for the Ballets Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924; outfits created for Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich; an early example of Chanel’s ground-breaking evening trousers and ensembles from Chanel’s final collection of 1971. Displayed across 10 sections include the creation and impact of Gabrielle Chanel’s debut perfume N°5, the impact of the outbreak of war and a celebration of her eveningwear as well as her iconic Chanel suite.
Image: Dress, by Gabrielle Chanel, Autumn/Winter 1932. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Her relationship with Nazi officer Hans Günther von Dincklage during WWII casts a shadow over her legacy but, nonetheless, the exhibition showcases how Chanel rewrote fashion conventions. The power of her style and acute eye for opportunity endures in the timeless clothes that she created.
Image: Suit, by Gabrielle Chanel, Autumn/Winter 1964. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto is on until 24 February 2024.
Find out more:
www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/gabrielle-chanel-fashion-manifesto
Chanel's story is a fine example of rags to riches. Born into poverty and having lost her Mother at a young age, she was brought up in a convent.
Image: Gabrielle Chanel, 31 rue Cambon, 1937, Paris. Photo: Roger Schall/Condé Nast/Shutterstock.
At the entrance to the exhibition, the Marinière blouse, marks Chanel's legacy of defining the modern women's wardrobe. Made of jersey, an inexpensive fabric, the Marinière blouse elevated fabrics such as jersey to the heights of haute couture and provided comfort as part of style.
Image: Marinière blouse, by Gabrielle Chanel, Spring/Summer 1916. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Highlights include one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments from 1916; original costumes designed by Chanel for the Ballets Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924; outfits created for Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich; an early example of Chanel’s ground-breaking evening trousers and ensembles from Chanel’s final collection of 1971. Displayed across 10 sections include the creation and impact of Gabrielle Chanel’s debut perfume N°5, the impact of the outbreak of war and a celebration of her eveningwear as well as her iconic Chanel suite.
Image: Dress, by Gabrielle Chanel, Autumn/Winter 1932. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Her relationship with Nazi officer Hans Günther von Dincklage during WWII casts a shadow over her legacy but, nonetheless, the exhibition showcases how Chanel rewrote fashion conventions. The power of her style and acute eye for opportunity endures in the timeless clothes that she created.
Image: Suit, by Gabrielle Chanel, Autumn/Winter 1964. Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope.
Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto is on until 24 February 2024.
Find out more:
www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/gabrielle-chanel-fashion-manifesto