Chanel Pre-Fall 2025 Hangzhou

[LadyJunon]

 

[LadyJunon]

First look at Chanel:

 

[LadyJunon]

Finale:

 

[Frederic01]

Whilst it was technically "better taste" than whatever Virigine was doing toward the end of her tenure, somehow this collection left me with the distinct feeling that the magic at Chanel has completely evaporated into thin air. Those opening looks were funerary in feeling. Not exactly the kind of vibe you want to begin a collection with, no? Especially in this transition period.

To be honest, Viard's first few Metiers d'Art collections were much better than this collection IMO. They had some kind of flair and personality to them. This collection on the other hand felt very soulless and bland, even though "Chanel" tried their best with the location and the details in the pieces. The coromandel screens as an inspiration source was quite pretty, but again, a bit whatever.

Overall, yes, they are in desperate need of rejuvenation. This is clear. A show like Metiers d'Art without a strong point of view and an Artistic Director to curate it, is without any point whatsoever...

 

[tourbillions]

its a shame because i do think they have a strong design team but they are all trying to outshine each other rather than to conceptualize the show as one.

 

[chanelh]

CHANEL IS TRULY DEAD

 

[bennyboy]

so boring，dull and lifeless

 

[FashionPower]

Stunning collection, the design team literally put Virginie to shame with this collection.
I was already seeing the potential with the mostly hated Spring Summer show, but with this one the design team really showed everybody they can do good without a creative director. It's luxe, it's wearable, the craftmanship is there, it's indistinguishably CHANEL without splaterring CC logos on every single inch of garment. The tweed suits with fitted jacket and flared miniskirt paired with tigh high boots were SO KARL and I loved it. Kinda underwhelming shoes and daywear bags though
I am ashamed to see comments bashing this collection, as if we did not have hooligans wearing Luisa Spagnoli tweed green barf colored coats paired with CC safety pins blouses ONE YEAR AGO in Manchester...and TWO YEARS AGO we had Masai girls wearing 10k distressed jeans with gun glued applied sequins from Shein walking down the runway in one of the poorest countries in Africa...come on guys, Virginie was the worst thing that could have ever happened to CHANEL and you dare criticizing this collection?

 

[Caffeine]

It reproduced some past looks. There are some practical and nice looking outfits but there isn't anything new. I guess we'll just write this year off and wait for a more cohesive view once the new CD is appointed.

 

[Caffeine]

Stunning collection, the design team literally put Virginie to shame with this collection.
I was already seeing the potential with the mostly hated Spring Summer show, but with this one the design team really showed everybody they can do good without a creative director. It's luxe, it's wearable, the craftmanship is there, it's indistinguishably CHANEL without splaterring CC logos on every single inch of garment. The tweed suits with fitted jacket and flared miniskirt paired with tigh high boots were SO KARL and I loved it. Kinda underwhelming shoes and daywear bags though
I am ashamed to see comments bashing this collection, as if we did not have hooligans wearing Luisa Spagnoli tweed green barf colored coats paired with CC safety pins blouses ONE YEAR AGO in Manchester...and TWO YEARS AGO we had Masai girls wearing 10k distressed jeans with gun glued applied sequins from Shein walking down the runway in one of the poorest countries in Africa...come on guys, Virginie was the worst thing that could have ever happened to CHANEL and you dare criticizing this collection?

It's so Karl because it literally copied his old design...with 2 to 3 times of the price.

 

[MModa]

Looking at the collection, Chanel clearly needs a creative director that will push this brand in a fresh, new direction. Most of the looks do not stand for fashion excitement.

 

[Caffeine]

as if we did not have hooligans wearing Luisa Spagnoli tweed green barf colored coats paired with CC safety pins blouses ONE YEAR AGO in Manchester...and TWO YEARS AGO we had Masai girls wearing 10k distressed jeans with gun glued applied sequins from Shein walking down the runway in one of the poorest countries in Africa...

btw I agree with you on these. This collection doesn't have these for sure. It's just that it's supposed to be fashion and we want a little more.
Again, VV's first few Metiers were pretty solid. I don't think we should blame everything on her. It could be her fatigue or Lena or the lack of the chemistry between the two. We'll see.

 

[FashionPower]

btw I agree with you on these. This collection doesn't have these for sure. It's just that it's supposed to be fashion and we want a little more.
Again, VV's first few Metiers were pretty solid. I don't think we should blame everything on her. It could be her fatigue or Lena or the lack of the chemistry between the two. We'll see.

Yes, the Metiers D'Art 2019 collection (Rue Cambon staircase) was the best ever from Virginie.
Could have been mistaken for a Karl collection.
2020 Chateau and 2021 Le19M were nice too, kinda basic and uninspired but they had nice offerings. I think Virginie went completely downhill from the beginning of 2022, one flop after another.
Couture Spring 2022 - Punched eye makeup: flop
Fall 2022 - Tweed overload: flop
Cruise 2023 - Escorts in Monaco: flop
Couture Fall 2022: good
Spring 2023: good
Metiers D'art 2023 - Masai in Dakar: flop
Couture Spring 2023 - Circus nightmare: flop
Fall 2023 - Camelia overload: flop
Cruise 2024 - Philipp Plein a Los Angeles: flop
Couture Fall 2023 - Seine: decent
Spring 2024 - Villa NOIAlles: flop
Metiers D'art 2024 - Manchester: flop
Couture Spring 2024 - Ballerina horror movie: flop
Cruise 2024 - Marseille: flop

 

[Nimsay]

Those white tiered plisse pants are the worst thing in this show.... Followed by the pear shaped jacket - it should've been cut. The black lace dress with the cut outs should've been cut too. Those two belted numbers in gold and navy could've gone too.

idk how any of this works but they shouldve had the runway backlit. black clothes on a black runway with black water is hard to perceive.

The section after the opening looks was great. The cut on those puffed jackets is gorgeous. The way the mesh bodysuit is styled here is perfect and very what Karl has made Chanel into. Love the color combinations (when it wasn't black) and thought the embroideries were tastefully done and beautiful generally.

That golden floral floor length shirt dress is one of the best looks here. The windowpane sequin suit is also gorgeous. The white empire waist top with the spiraling plisse skirt is beautiful. They're essentially using Karl's codes, since that rich gold is his signature gold for Chanel.

It's good.

 

[THD96]

Like most of the collections designed by the studio, it's a pretty straightforward, safe investment for their core clientele. It's not bad, but it's quite meh because it's all over the place.

One thing that I have to keep reminding these companies, when you do destination shows, you have to put in the effort, you have to make it fun. Don't just fly people across the globe just for a parade of safe merchandise.
What makes Karl’s Métier D’art shows so unique are his willingness to push himself in terms of taste, and he also pushing the technical limits of his ateliers further.
He will definitely never fly the entire entourage just for a collection that truthfully can be shown in the Grand Palais. I mean the inspiration was Chanel Coromandel screens, but the impact of the show would still be the same if this was shown in Paris. This clearly just Chanel's effort to strengthen their sale in China, but frankly when the fashion is good it doesn't take much to convince people to buy your ideas. Like when Karl can ironically convince his clients into buying Chanel PVC raincoats and wear them to his shows.

I can clearly see Karl’s Shanghai collection here and there in this show. But it is quite boring, again if you already traveled half the globe at least make it fun. And for a collection draw inspiration from the coromandel screen, I find the prints to be the weakest in this collection. And the styling of the print bodysuit and the boots in some looks is just too much, it makes the models drowning in the clothes.
And the shoes and bags are boring, I expected better from a Métier D’art. In the past Karl (and in some part Virginie) delivered some really memorable and fun accessories that are the highlights of the show that people can not stop talking about. Here they delivered and mediocre looking bags in the shades of black, beige and gold. Couldn't be more boring.

Tbh I rather take the Virginie’s Dakar collection over this collection any time of the day, at least there was something very authentic about her approach to the culture and the collection easily being one of her best collections.

At least the soundtrack of this show is good.

 

[Monsieur Cristobal]

No ill-fitting or unflattering silhouettes. Elegant and even timeless. The display of techniques doesn't feel like a burden overwhelming the models, it enhances the pieces beautifully. There is a general easiness and comfort that I like.

The soundtrack (specially at the beginning with Fellini's Casanova and the Arthur Russell cover) and the incredible lake (wonderful lightning, very mysterious and "coromandelesque") were the cherry in the cake.

To me it is a Yes.

 

[Lola701]

Yes, the Metiers D'Art 2019 collection (Rue Cambon staircase) was the best ever from Virginie.
Could have been mistaken for a Karl collection.

Really?

 

[vogue22]

Really?

Come on now, let's not pretend Karl's 2010s collections didn’t look almost identical to this. I could show you both Virginie Viard's Métiers d'Art 2019 collection and Karl's Fall 2018 Couture collection, and you’d have a hard time telling which one belongs to him.

 

[Grets]

Seems like Chanel needed to put on an decent show to retain one of their largest markets, if not the largest market that is turning away from luxury.

 

[vogue28]

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