Coco Chanel

V&A Opens First UK Exhibition Dedicated To The Work of Pioneering Fashion Designer Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel

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A timeless style for a new kind of woman.

Gabrielle Chanel, 31 rue Cambon, 1937, Paris. Photo: Roger Schall/Condé Nast/Shutterstock

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto is the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the evolution of her iconic design style and the establishment of the House of CHANEL, from the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to the showing of her final collection in 1971.

Step into the Timeless World of Coco Chanel at the V&A

Ladies and gentlemen, fashion enthusiasts of all ages, get ready to be transported into the captivating world of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. The V&A unveiled “Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto,” the first-ever UK exhibition dedicated to the iconic French couturière whose influence continues to shape the way we dress today.

This spectacular exhibition traces the evolution of Coco Chanel‘s unparalleled design style, from her humble beginnings opening her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to the grand finale of her career in 1971. With nearly 200 stunning looks gathered for the first time in history, along with accessories, perfumes, and jewelry, this showcase promises to be a fashion lover’s dream come true.

The House of CHANEL Reimagined

This exhibition, based on the successful Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition organized by the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, has been reimagined by the V&A, featuring over 100 new objects, including a staggering 60 new looks. It’s not only a celebration of Chanel’s timeless designs but also a tribute to the groundbreaking work of this legendary designer.

Visitors will have the chance to explore rarely seen pieces from the V&A’s collection, along with exquisite looks from the Palais Galliera and the Patrimoine de CHANEL, the heritage collections of the House of CHANEL in Paris. Highlights include an iconic Chanel garment from 1916, costumes designed by Chanel for the Ballets Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924, outfits worn by Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich, and ensembles from Chanel’s final collection in 1971.

V&A exhibition “Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto,”

Coco Chanel: A Pioneer Ahead of Her Time

Coco Chanel designed with a vision – not just for the women of her era but for the modern woman, one who was independent, active, and stylish. Through ten themed sections, this exhibition dives deep into Chanel’s innovative approach to fabric, silhouette, and construction. Her creations laid the foundation for a new era of fashion in the 20th century, redefining the concept of elegance.

From her early days as a milliner to her iconic little black dresses and British-inspired tweed ensembles, Coco Chanel’s influence is evident throughout the exhibition. She was a trailblazer who anticipated the needs and desires of women and designed clothing that empowered them.

Chanel’s Iconic Contributions

As you journey through the exhibition, you’ll explore key elements of Chanel’s legacy:

Towards A New Elegance: Discover Chanel’s early career as a milliner and how it led to her expansion into clothing. Minimalism and precision characterized her designs, setting her apart from the ornate fashion of her time.

The Emergence of a Style: Explore Chanel’s signature style, marked by clean lines, fluid materials, and a simplistic color palette that offered both practicality and elegance. This section also delves into her use of textiles and British influences.

The Invisible Accessory: Learn about the creation and impact of Chanel’s iconic perfume, N°5, and her foray into makeup and skincare.

Luxury and Line: Explore Chanel’s eveningwear, characterized by inventiveness, classicism, and an emphasis on the female form.

Closing the House: Witness the impact of World War II on Chanel’s personal and professional life and her triumphant return to fashion in 1954.

The Suit: Marvel at the defining garment of Chanel’s post-war era, the Chanel suit, which remains a timeless classic.

Chanel Codes: Discover how accessories were fundamental to Chanel’s vision of a harmonious silhouette, including the iconic Chanel 2.55 handbag and two-tone slingback shoes.

Into the Evening: Explore Chanel’s eveningwear collections from the late 1950s onwards, characterized by richly decorative fabrics and intricate patterns.

Costume Jewellery: Learn about Chanel’s distinctive costume jewelry that challenged conventions and became a hallmark of her style.

A Timeless Allure: Conclude your journey with Chanel’s evening dress collections, showcasing her continuous refinement of her quintessential style until her final collection in 1971.

Don’t Miss the Timeless Allure

The exhibition runs from September 16, 2023, to February 25, 2024. Tickets are available from £24, with concessions at £16. Be sure to grab your chance to step into the world of Coco Chanel and witness the legacy of a woman whose designs continue to inspire and influence fashion today.

As Coco Chanel herself said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

So, whether you’re a fashion aficionado, a history buff, or simply appreciate timeless elegance, make your way to the V&A and experience the magic of Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto – a journey through style, innovation, and the enduring impact of one of the greatest fashion icons of all time.

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto
Exhibition presented in partnership with Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris,
Paris Musées
With the support of CHANEL
The Sainsbury Gallery
16 September 2023 – 25 February 2024

Costumes for Le Train Bleu, by Gabrielle Chanel, 1924. Museum no. S.837-1980. © CHANEL / Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope / Courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Picasso/Chanel exhibition explores the relationship between two creative geniuses

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Picasso/Chanel exhibition is bringing art and fashion together.

Pablo Picasso The Bathers; © Sucesión Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Madrid

Picasso/Chanel exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. CHANEL supports the exhibition ‘Picasso/Chanel’, highlighting the relationship of mutual admiration and respect between these two major figures of modernity. From October 11th 2022 to January 15th 2023 at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.

“Picasso and Chanel coincided in a particular time and place but, more importantly, they shared the same aesthetic and conceptual vision” – Paula Luengo, curator of the exhibition.

Once again bringing art and fashion together, the Museo Thyssen in Madrid, Spain is presenting an exhibition that explores the relationship between two creative geniuses of the 20th century: Pablo Picasso and Coco Chanel. Structured into four principal sections, Picasso/Chanel exhibition follows a chronological order approximately spanning the decade between 1915 and 1925.

Pablo Picasso and Gabrielle Chanel worked together on two occasions, both with Jean Cocteau: on Antigone (1922), and on Serge Diaghilev’s Le Train Bleu (1924) for his Ballets russes. The artist and fashion designer first met in the spring of 1917, probably through Cocteau or Misia Sert, and Chanel became close and long-lasting friends with both, who introduced her to the Picasso’s circle. She socialised with the artist and his wife at a time when he was actively involved with Diaghilev’s company. Chanel became closely associated with the Parisian artistic and intellectual world of the day, to the extent of declaring that “it is artists who have shown me how to be exacting.”

Gabrielle Chanel Dress 1923-1926, Silk crepe, beads, and rhinestones ; Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris; © CHANEL

The Chanel style and Cubism reveals the influence of that art movement on Chanel’s creations from her earliest, innovative designs: her use of a geometrical formal language, chromatic restraint and the Cubist aesthetic of the collage, expressed in clothes with straight, angular lines: her preference for black, white and beige; and her use of inexpensive fabrics with austere textures.

The second section, entitled Olga Picasso, focuses on Picasso’s numerous, beautiful portraits of his first wife, the Russian ballerina Olga Khokhlova who was one of Chanel’s devoted clients. Shown alongside these works are various ensembles from the designer’s early period, of which few examples survive. Antigone, a modern-day adaptation by Cocteau of Sophocles’s play, was first performed in Paris in 1922 with sets and masks by Picasso and costumes by Chanel, both of whom were inspired by classical Greece, as this section reveals.

Le Train Bleu is the title of the fourth section and of the ballet created by Diaghilev in 1924 with a scenario by Cocteau, inspired by activities that were fashionable in the early 1920s, such as sunbathing and sport. Two Women Running along the Beach (The Race), a small gouache which Diaghilev encountered in Picasso’s studio, was transformed into the image for the work’s front cloth and the artist also accepted the commission to illustrate the programme. For her part, Chanel created costumes for the dancers, inspired by the sport outfits she created for herself and for her clients.

Pablo Picasso Harlequin with a Mirror, 1923, Oil on canvas. 100 x 81 cm Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid © Sucesión Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Madrid
Gabrielle Chanel Day dress, ca. 1922 , Silk, crêpe de chine, and ermine fur Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kunstgewerbemuseum; ©Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – PreuBischer Kulturbesitz, Berlín

Lecture cycle Picasso/Chanel (Lecture. 16, 23 and 30 November 2022)

In conjunction with the exhibition Picasso/Chanel and in collaboration with Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris, the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is organising a cycle of three lectures devoted to Gabrielle Chanel and her relationship with Pablo Picasso. Following their initial encounter around the premiere of the ballet Parade in 1917 the two collaborated on Jean Cocteau’s adaptation of Sophocles’ classical drama Antigone in 1922 and subsequently in 1924 on Cocteau and Serge Diaghilev’s ballet Le Train Bleu.

Paula Luengo, the exhibition’s curator and head of exhibitions at the museum, will launch the cycle with a lecture in which she discusses her research on Picasso and Chanel and the development of this project. The other two lectures will be given by Hélène Fulgence and Marika Genty, director and head of historical heritage of Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris, respectively.

Chanel also announced a fragrance exhibition coming soon to Paris: LE GRAND NUMÉRO DE CHANEL.

Spectacular scents, marvelous magic tricks, unexpected discoveries, highly anticipated encounters and many other sensational acts: Don’t miss LE GRAND NUMÉRO DE CHANEL, running from December 15, 2022 to January 9, 2023 at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris, France.

Gabrielle Chanel 3-piece sport ensemble, 1927; Silk ; Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris; © CHANEL
Gabrielle Chanel Coat, 1929-1930; Cotton velvet ; Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris; © CHANEL
Gabrielle Chanel Coat, 1918-1919, Silk satin and fur Patrimoine de CHANEL, Paris, © CHANEL
Pablo Picasso Woman with a Mandolin, 1908 (Oil on canvas, 100 × 80 cm), Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf

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