Virginie Viard’s Spring/Summer 2021 ready-to-wear collection for Chanel was a tribute to classic cinema and the muses that have inspired the brand for many years. Those iconic actresses whose beauty and style is timeless.
Set in front of a giant “Chanel” sign imitating the “Hollywood” sign models wore classic tweed suits, but also jeans in fluorescent colours, fluid dresses and t-shirts, capri pants, and long printed dresses. Sequin embroidery added a touch of glamour.
The collection was presented to a live socially-distanced audience but the house was full at the Grand Palais as the fashion crowd were eager to get a taste of normality.
Virginie Viard spoke of her inspiration: “I was thinking about actresses at the photocall, on the red carpet, that moment when they’re being called to by the photographers: their faces a little distracted, their attitude a little out of sync with the outfits they’re wearing. And then there are the fans waiting for them behind the barriers, this very lively side to cinema that happens beyond cinema, that’s what I like.”
“This collection is a tribute to the muses of the House. Some of them are far away, it’s been a long time since we saw them. Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld dressed so many actresses in films and in real life. I was thinking about them who make us dream so much. But without wanting to replicate. Without falling into a vintage citation. I wanted it to be very joyful, colourful, and very vibrant too.”
