Andre Kertesz. Coco Chanel – 1930s
“Fashion is not something that only exists in dresses. Fashion is in the sky, in the streets. Fashion has to do with ideas, with the way we live, with what is happening” Coco Chanel
A revolution, a myth, an icon, a legend, a before and after. Gabrielle Chanel was and still is today one of the most important figures in the world of fashion, and why not say it, the world.
Also known as “La Grande Couturière”, “Mademoiselle Chanel” or simply “Coco”, Gabrielle Chanel (1883-1971) made great changes and contributions to the aesthetics of the 20th century. She opted for comfort, elegance and simplicity; she reinterpreted traditional tailoring with wool and tweed; she proposed a masculine aesthetic for women; and all this shaped her own unique style, a new femininity.
Poiret released the woman from the corset. Coco went further, she wanted to break conventions. "All my art consisted of cutting what others added." This phrase, which is quite a manifesto, sums up the essence of Chanel.
Now, the Palais Galliera reopens its doors to recall that manifesto and present the retrospective Gabrielle Chanell. Manifeste de mode, an exhibition that can be visited from October 1, 2020 to March 14, 2021.
Francois Kollar. Coco Chanel in her apartment at the Ritz for Harper's Bazaar, Paris
THE CHANEL STYLE
Closed since July 2018 and after a great work of expansion and reform, the Palais Galliera, or Paris Fashion Museum, will reopen on October 1 with the opening of the Gabrielle Chanel exhibition. Manifeste de mode (Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto).
“Gabrielle Chanel dedicated her long life to creating, perfecting and promoting a new type of elegance based on freedom of movement, a natural and relaxed attitude, a subtle elegance free from extravagance, a timeless style for a new type of woman. This was her “fashion manifesto” of hers, an inescapable heritage and more relevant than ever in today's world”, she affirms. Look at Arzalluz, director of the Palais Galliera.
From her beginnings –with a hat shop in Paris–, until the end of her life, Chanel defied the fashions of the time and created the Chanel fashion, the Chanel style; in short, the Chanel brand.
“The Gabrielle Chanel exhibition. Manifeste de mode, the first retrospective in Paris dedicated to the great couturière, analyzes her professional career, the emergence and development of her style, the characteristics of her work, her codes and her contribution to the history of fashion”, exposes Arzalluz.
D'Ora. Portrait of Gabrielle Chanel, 1923
OVER 350 PIECES RANGING FROM 1910 TO 1971
Gabrielle Chanell. Manifest of mode covers an area of almost 1500 square meters, including the museum's newly opened basement galleries and houses more than 350 pieces from the collections of the Palais Galliera and Patrimoine de Chanel, from international museums –such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the De Young Museum in San Francisco, the Fashion Museum in Santiago de Chile or the MoMu in Antwerp–, as well as private collections.
The first part of the exhibition is chronological and recounts the beginnings of Gabrielle Chanel through some emblematic pieces, such as the famous 1916 marinière, the sailor's blouse, in jersey.
The visitor can embark on a journey through the evolution of Chanel's chic style: from the petites robes noires and the sports models of the Roaring 20s to the sophisticated dresses of the 30s.
The great seamstress accompanies us on this journey through projected portraits, showing to what extent her signature was an embodiment of her personality. In addition, one of the rooms in this first part is dedicated entirely to perfume No. 5, created in 1921 and par excellence the spirit of "Coco Chanel".
When the war broke out, the fashion house was closed and the only things still for sale at 31 rue Cambon in Paris were perfumes and accessories. The maison reopened in 1954 claiming her fashion manifesto against other designers such as Christian Dior and his New Look.
William Klein. Dorothy and Little Bara, Vogue Paris, October 1960
THE CHANEL CODES
“Through this revolution of simplicity, through her sheer audacity and her refusal to conform to accepted norms, Gabrielle Chanel designed a look and created codes that became instantly recognizable around the world, and are still recognizable today”, says Bruno Pavlovsky, President of CHANEL SAS and CHANEL Fashion Activities.
And he adds: “Chanel has entered the collective unconscious and established the timelessness of a silhouette as something enormous and constantly modern. Beyond the petite robe noire, the tweed suit, the quilted bag, or the two-tone pumps, it is this paradox that underlies Chanel's enormous contribution to fashion and its enduring influence on women."
The second part of the exhibition is thematic and invites us to discover the Chanel dress codes. Thus, at the Galerie Courbe, we will meet the braided tweed suit, the two-tone heeled pumps, the 2.55 quilted bag, black and beige naturally, but also red, white and gold... and, of course, the suit and the high jewelry that were intrinsic to the Chanel look.
Verido, Autumn-Winter 1920-1923; Paris, Heritage of CHANEL
IS THERE ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A 2.55 IS?
Launched in February 1955, the famous 2.55 bag, recognizable by its shape, its flap, the stitching that creates a quilted effect and its twist lock, it was designed to be, above all, practical.
The shoulder strap, a jewelry chain or a chain threaded with leather to avoid the jingling of the metal, it has become an iconic item in its own right; and allows you to carry the bag in your hand or hang it on your shoulder.
The interior is lined with leather or red grosgrain and has numerous pockets to help find the contents, including a dedicated compartment for lipstick. Crafted in shearling, jersey or silk satin, the 2.55 is also available in three sizes to adapt to the different activities and circumstances of the day.
Bag 2.55, between 1955 and 1971; Paris, Heritage of CHANEL
TWO COLOR PLEASE
In 1957, the two-tone slingback shoe added the finishing touch to Chanel's silhouette and brought an extra note of elegance to her look. After several tests with different shoemakers, she opted for the Raymond Massaro model.
In a perfect blend of function and form, her beige leather elongates the leg, while her black toe cap protects her from inclement weather, while also making the foot appear smaller.
Asymmetrical strap and moderate heel height ensure comfort and freedom of movement.
Two-tone slingback shoe (1961); Paris, Heritage of CHANEL
THE PALAIS GALLIERA
The Palais Galliera is one of the essential stops in the French capital for all fashion lovers. It has more than 200,000 garments, accessories, photographs, drawings, illustrations and prints, which make up one of the best fashion collections in the world.
The pieces reflect the dress codes and dress habits of France since the 18th century. Extravagant or precious, simple or everyday, they testify to the creative genius of fashion right down to its most contemporary expressions.
Magnificent temporary exhibitions have passed through its galleries, both monographic (Givenchy, Fath, Carven, Castelbajac, Grès, Alaïa, Jeanne Lanvin, Fortuny, Martin Margiela...) as themes (A History of jeans, Japonism and Fashion, Fashion and Gardens, The Roaring Twenties, Sous l Empire des crinolines, The Fifties...).
It was in 2018 when the Palais Galliera saw the spaces in the basement as an opportunity to double your exhibition space and began the extension thanks to the support of Chanel.
Now, combining the two levels, it will be possible to host large-scale temporary exhibitions or present the permanent collection (this will be updated periodically due to the fragility of the pieces) and provide the visitor with a history of fashion from the 18th century to the present.
You can buy your tickets for the Gabrielle Chanel exhibition. Manifest of mode here.
Hat, between 1913 and 1915; Paris, museum of decorative arts
The Palais Galliera reopens on October 1 with a retrospective on Gabrielle Chanel
Address: 10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Paris 16e, 75116 Paris See map
Telephone: 01 56 52 86 00
Schedule: From Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.