Night at the Opera. The big night of the Chanel fashion show at the Palais Garnier in Paris

Change of era, change of scenery. Following the departure of Virginia Viard, announced on June 6, after five years as Chanel’s artistic director, the Rue Cambon house has ushered in a new era. While waiting to know the name of the person who will take on the great mystery and suspense of fashion, the design studio is working behind the scenes. But to mark this break, a new venue was also needed for the unveiling of the Fall-Winter 2025 Haute Couture collection, coincidentally, the Grand Palais and the temporary Grand Palais, usually the preferred settings for Chanel’s fashion shows, all required Paris. for games. The Olympic Games are approaching. So that would be the Palais Garnier.

Public theater

This choice is not accidental, because close ties unite Chanel to dance; The house of rue Cambon is the main sponsor of the Paris National Opera from 2023 and the Opéra Ballet from 2021. Gabrielle Chanel imagined it herself. Stage costumes (especially for ballet The blue train in 1924). Therefore, the Palais Garnier is not only the setting for this fashion show, but also the inspiration for this collection, which was guided by Virginie Viard, then imagined and designed by the creative studio. This parade celebrates the art of “Going to the Opera”, the luxury, the elegance of big nights. Conceived by filmmaker and director Christophe Honoré, the production takes place in the corridors of the Opera House, where society meets at intermission, shows itself, looks at itself, meets itself and takes the stage in its most beautiful outfits. The parade recreates this sophisticated little public theater.

The audacity of great elegance

Elegant ladies parade in billowing taffeta capes that rustle with every step, draped over embroidered black velvet microdresses. They walk around in long silk dresses and bibs covered in gold embroidery. They wear black suits with long culottes and fitted tweed jackets with jet feathers stuffed at the shoulders. A few ballerinas parade in tutus, but here it is primarily about a collection that reflects the spirit of the big evening, ultra-theatrical, sophisticated, luxurious. Chanel celebrates the audacity of luxury, the art of luxury, this festive pleasure of dressing up to step out in diva dresses. The virtuosity of the 150 tiny hands of Chanel’s six haute couture workshops is expressed in each of these silhouettes, and in particular through the wedding dress worn by model Angelina Kendall. The outfit exudes seminar glitz with its silk taffeta skirt, tulle micro tutu and bodice embroidered with 3D flowers covered in sequins and puffed sleeves.

Front row: Naomi Campbell, Vanessa Paradis and Greta Gerving

Many celebrities attended this truly haute couture show. Among them are Naomi Campbell, who wowed in a vintage Chanel couture dress at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as director Greta Gerwig. barbieVanessa Paradis, Michelle Williams, Keira Knightley and Caroline de Maigren.