“I love contrasts, so for the more voluminous winter pieces, I wanted a small space. I don’t know if this is because of the times we live in, but I wanted something warm, lively. I imagined the models doing a show for themselves, going from room to room, crossing each other in staircases, piling their coats up in the cloakroom and going up to the next floor to get changed. And I thought of the shows that Karl would tell me about, back in the day, a long time ago, when the models would dress themselves and do their own make-up,” says Virginie Viard describing the atmosphere of the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2021/22 Ready-to-Wear show.

“So, I decided to go to Castel. I like Castel so much for its many salons, the spiral staircase, its bar, the journey through this venue, its little house style, where the models can get changed, dressed and undressed, do their make-up together, and have fun like a girls night in. It’s very sensual.” A sensuality that also touches the collection teasers and press kit, staged by the duo Inez & Vinoodh who filmed this show playing with the contrasts so loved by Virginie Viard. Contrasts between volumes, materials and spirit. A long tweed coat with a chevron motif reveals bare legs wearing voluminous boots in black curly faux fur; a trouser suit in black tweed with small checks in blue lurex is adorned with thin braces in pearls and layers of sautoir necklaces. A white coat in patent sheepskin and lined with faux fur, is coupled with “down jacket” style two-tone boots, with unzippable legs giving way to a pair of silver heeled booties to go dancing in. The salopettes-ski suits in white quilting embroidered with red and blue motifs, or in fuchsia tweed, are worn with strappy sandals embellished with chains and little black bows or pumps adorned with a camellia, while delicate blouses in chiffon or crêpe de Chine are combined with pieces inspired by winter sportswear.

“This collection is a mix of two influences: the ambiance of ski holidays, which I adore, and a certain idea of cool Parisian chic, from the 1970s to now.”

Sequinned ballet flats, strass-covered minaudières worn like a sautoir necklace, a man’s black shirt with a white collar and cuffs under a precious suit in navy lurex, a tweed kilt over a knitted jumpsuit embellished with iridescent threads… “Today some of these silhouettes make me think of Stella Tennant’s allure, the way she wore certain pieces, it was so Chanel.”