The V&A has released more detail on 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. A limited number of tickets will be released today for the first few weeks of the exhibition, with more tickets being released in June 2023.
Featuring over 200 looks seen together for the first time, as well as accessories, perfumes and jewellery, the exhibition will explore Chanel’s pioneering approach to fashion design, which paved the way for a new elegance and continues to influence the way women dress today.
Based upon the Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition organised by the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, the exhibition will be re-imagined by the V&A. It will feature rarely seen pieces from the V&A’s collection, alongside looks from Palais Galliera and the Patrimoine de CHANEL, the heritage collections of the fashion House in Paris. Highlights will include one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments from 1916; original costumes designed by Chanel for the Ballets Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924; outfits created for Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich; an early example of Chanel’s ground-breaking evening trousers and ensembles from Chanel’s final collection of 1971.
Chanel designed first and foremost for herself. By creating clothes fit for an independent and active lifestyle, she anticipated the needs and wants of the modern woman. Through ten themed sections, the exhibition will explore Chanel’s innovative approach to fabric, silhouette and construction, and will examine how she drafted a new framework for fashion in the twentieth century. Showcasing a stunning array of some of Chanel’s most notable designs from her sixty years in fashion, the exhibition analyses her professional career, the emergence and the development of her style, and her contribution to the history of fashion. The exhibition will also highlight Chanel’s British inspirations, such as her adoption of tweed, partnerships with British textile firms and textile factory in Huddersfield.
Across ten sections, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will showcase the exquisite skill and innovation from the founder of the House of CHANEL.
The exhibition Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto runs from 16 September 2023 – 25 February 2024. Tickets from £24. Concessions: £16.
Tickets are on sale at vam.ac.uk/chanel