The freedom of movement, a time-honoured concept dear to Gabrielle Chanel, is the centre of Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection by Virginie Viard. Another source of inspiration? Alain Resnais’s 1961 French New Wave film, Last Year in Marienbad.
Described as a “free stroll through fragments’, the collection – it hits stores at the end of March – features classic Chanel pieces with a sense of both the past and present. Think tweed jackets and coat-dresses, covered in sequins or adorned with ostrich feathers; mesh boots that are either cut off at the ankle or go right up to under the knee; and elegant dresses, accentuated with ruffles or in a metallic or lace material. Not to mention the accessories that include belts with large crystal details, pearl necklaces with Chanel’s interlocking Cs and earrings you can spot from a mile away.
Credit:Chanel
The colour palette of the show flitted between an array of pastels to Chanel’s classic black and ivory. Though the show opened with a printed top, there were few seen throughout the collection.
To encapsulate that spirit of ease, Viard turned to her muse than Chanel ambassador Kristen Stewart – who knows a thing or two about boyish grace and laidback sense of dressing – for this season’s campaign. The accompanying short film, which also served as the opener of the show, was shot by Viard’s regular collaborators, Inez and Vinoodh.
Want to emulate that vibe? Scroll on below for a look at the pieces you can add to cart.