Under the twilight at Hangzhou’s iconic West Lake, Chanel unveiled its 2024/25 Métiers d’art collection - a fusion of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel’s timeless inspirations and the audacious creativity of modern craftsmanship. This year, the collection dives deep into the poetic mystique of Chinese lacquer screens, specifically the Coromandel screens Coco herself adored, which still cloak the walls of her Parisian apartment at 31 Rue Cambon.
Adding cinematic intrigue to the occasion, Tilda Swinton - actor, Chanel muse and all-around force - joined legendary filmmaker Wim Wenders in crafting a film to celebrate the collection. Directed by Loïc Prigent, the pair unpacked their creative process in an intimate interview, revealing a shared obsession with the Coromandel’s intricate artistry. Swinton called it "a creative north star," while Wenders reflected on the timeless dialogue between Chinese art and the Chanel spirit.
Chanel’s Métiers d’art collections are legendary for their devotion to craft, and this year is no exception. The pieces shimmer with the drama and delicacy of Coromandel-inspired motifs: jade greens, petal pinks and dreamy sky blues meld with the texture of tweeds and embroidery.
But it’s the details that truly mesmerise. Think phosphorescent braids that catch the light just so, envelope-shaped pockets that redefine tailoring and flowing coats that feel both regal and resolutely modern. Each silhouette tells a story, nodding to both ancient Chinese artistry and Chanel’s forward-thinking aesthetic.
Set against the ethereal beauty of Hangzhou’s West Lake, the show felt less like a runway presentation and more like a voyage. Models moved like spectres in the dusk, embodying the elegance of a bygone era while channeling a distinctly 21st-century edge. The reflective waters and lacquered finishes of the Coromandel echoed through the collection’s textures and tones, creating a dialogue between the show’s location and its inspiration.
Gabrielle Chanel was, above all else, a collector of beauty. Her love affair with the Coromandel screens- pieces she referred to as “the only thing I truly love” - continues to inspire Chanel’s design language, a seamless blend of East and West.
This collection reimagines that legacy, embedding the screens’ intricate details into pieces that feel wholly modern yet deeply reverent. Rewatch the show
