Like a Lana Del Rey song, the Chanel 2024 Spring Haute Couture Show show began with the ever beautiful Margaret Qualley. The collection was entitled “The Button ” which tied into the short film that made its debut prior to the show. The film was a collaboration from the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free. The film entrances us into the show as we see the horror of Margaret losing the iconic Chanel button from her jacket. The giant button, after being airlifted, descends from the sky of the Paris Grand Palais’ and the show begins.
This collection truly embodied the DNA of Chanel. It felt like a tip of the hat to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and it was almost as if Karl Lagerfeld was still a part of the design process. With runways full of avant-garde and over the top try-hard designs, I can truly appreciate the thoughtful simplicity of the designs. The collection began with all white couture ensembles and got more colorful as the show went on. That is, colorful for Chanel. Lamar and Free were similarly responsible for the music that smoothly entered after the film and played the entire show. As a relative fan of Kendrick Lamar, I may have some bias, but I feel it was so incredibly on beat and of perfect tempo to the theme and vibe. I typically always have something to say about the music choice of a fashion show but this one left me without words.
Margaret Qualley’s look was extremely classic Chanel, with an added touch of medieval due to the ruff around her neck. The looks following felt rather similar and repetitive until finally the pastels came out. Specifically the green shapeless dress paired with a shawl that even a grandmother wouldn’t touch felt typical boring Chanel. Thankfully, some more adventurous designs entered. Including a white long sleeve shirt with a purple floral cropped baby doll top and a green tulle Carrie Bradshaw style tutu. I felt this look was extremely fun and appealing to look at while still keeping the correct amount of Chanel elements: the chain, the black bow, and the shoes. Sprinkled throughout the show there are multiple iterations of this look which I really enjoyed and appreciated. Mixed in are also various questionable but not so boring looks that brought layers to the show. Of course the final look was the perfect end, bringing us full circle, the Chanel bride dressed in a mini patterned white dress with an added button up puffed arm sleeves and a cape train to die for.
Chanel is a classic (boring) brand. The sooner we accept that and stop expecting revolutionary world stopping designs the better off we will be as a society. Not to say I don’t love them, we need brands like Chanel to be the foundation of quality and simplicity as a stepping stone for the daring and venturesome brands. With the 2024 Chanel show, Virginie Viard is the perfect representation of the brand today.
Words by Elisabeth Edwards.
Graphic by Emily Strycharz.