Chanel’s Manchester Show Was a Love Letter to the City
Chanel is back on the road for its Métiers d’art show which turns up at a new location every year. And this time creative director Virginie Viard brought the French fashion house to Manchester — more specifically, the Northern Quarter in Manchester.
During a typically rainy Manchester evening on December 7, a temporary glass tent had been put up to protect showgoers (of which there were around 600) from the weather.
In attendance were some of Manchester's finest talents, such as rappers Aitch and Bugzy Malone, as well as the children of Manchester icon Liam Gallagher: Gene and Lennon. Alongside those with strong Manchester roots, the show pulled notable names such as actors Kristen Stewart and Hugh Grant to the city.
Guests sat outside on pub-style seats that lined either side of a cycle path turned runway to watch Chanel's ode to England's second most populated city.
A custom print was made for the collection, bearing Manchester's name, which was presented in blue on a knit jumper, hat, and scarf all paired together in one look with a short skirt decorated by blue and white stripes. Meanwhile, the same print was utilized in red on another look, presented on a scarf and a skirt.
The significance of these colors was likely not lost on Virginie Viard. A city that's famous for its rival football teams (Manchester United play in red and white while Manchester City in blue and white) Chanel tapped into its footballing heritage by taking select guests to watch Manchester United play the night before. Another example of football and fashion getting ever closer.
The French house also gave guests a Manchester United shirt with their name on the back as part of the invite. Is Chanel declaring its allegiances to Manchester United? Probably not, it made sure to have many Manchester City references in the short film that went online after the show.
Along with the city's footballing heritage, this show wanted to focus on the city's musical heritage. The birthplace of bands such as The Smiths, New Order, and the Stone Roses, Virginie Viard said in a statement, "For me, Manchester is the city of music."
New Order's song Blue Monday opened the show's film (which can be watched above) and the invites included a vinyl record. Plus, Peter Saville, the graphic designer who created iconic record sleeves for the Manchester-based Factory Records, was behind the show's branding.
While so many elements of this show celebrated Manchester, from the Coronation Street references in the invites to the baker boy caps on the runway, there were still many Chanel-isms present: pearls, quilted leather bags, and lots of tweed were all on full display.
This was a love letter to Manchester, done the Chanel way.
