2023/24 Metiers d’Art — CHANEL’s Signature Craftsmanship through a Mancunian Itinerary

Virginie Viard said that she chose Manchester because it’s not like busy and congested cities like London and Paris. While such busy cities possess their own charm, Virginie Viard wanted to pay homage to Manchester’s industrial heritage, most particularly its history of manufacturing textiles since the 19th century. Speaking of fabrics and textiles, Coco Chanel made sure that her couture house would be known for its tailoring, and fast-forward to the present, this legacy remained intact as seen in the 2023/24 Metiers d’Art Collection.

The collection is also a nod to British music and its substantial influence on pop culture. This influence is undeniably visible in the show as the vibrant colors and edgy rockstar ensembles are absolutely reminiscent of the 60s aesthetics of Great Britain.

There are far too many memorable pieces from Chanel 2023/24 Metiers d’Art but if I’d summarize the best ones in just three words, it’ll be: Colors, Tweed, and Classics. 

The colorful pieces and vibrant ensembles bring life on the runway and they are what mainly cause the 60s British pop nostalgia. The pastels such as lilac, sky blue, and sage green are very impactful despite being visually gentle colors. The bright colors such as magenta, sapphire blue, and lime green are electric!

As mentioned earlier, tweed is the undebatable star of the show. The way this iconic fabric is executed very uniquely in various looks makes each look distinctively memorable. The mustard plaid coordinates and the houndstooth coat are just some of the exceptional examples of how tweed is craftily played by Virginie Viard. Same fabric, but speaks different style languages.

And of course, the classics will always and forever be hard to beat. Neutral jackets, shift dresses, and patterned skirts were definitely memorable runway looks as well. These are the pieces that the most stylish Brits wore decades ago and you’ll expect to look just as fascinatingly stylish when you wear them today. Another proof that CHANEL makes the most timeless fashion pieces!

It’s also apparent how the collection embraces a very youthful vibe. The designs, colors, and ruggedness of some of the ensembles embrace the 60s British rock scene. However, despite the rebellious touch, it’s still very CHANEL. 

There’s nothing more edgy and rebellious than a black leather jacket and I’ve seen looks from the show that embraced the same rockstar vibe. The gold detailing over a solid black canvas present in many of the ensembles from the collection married the rock scene and luxury in the most glamorous way possible. Meanwhile, the candy-like color combinations brought new meaning to monochromes, making them look wearable but at the same time, very fun.

The way Virginie Viard reimagined CHANEL in the 2023/24 Metiers d’Art collection speaks volumes of how the couture house is more than just designer fashion. It has art, culture, and creation in its DNA and that’s very apparent with every piece from the show. 

What also struck me while absorbing every look from the collection was the craftsmanship in the most minute details of the clothes and the way the accessories are put together. Each one tells a story, and the more you look at it and the more you study every look, it becomes clearer why they chose Manchester. There’s simply no other itinerary that can house this collection.

The 2023/24 CHANEL Metiers d’Art collection is youthful but classy, contemporary but timeless — absolutely luxurious in every angle. Absolutely CHANEL.