“Devoting the entire collection to tweed is a tribute,” says Virginie Viard. “We followed the footsteps of Gabrielle Chanel along the River Tweed, to imagine tweeds in the colours of this landscape. Like that of a long pink coat mottled with blue and purple, or a burgundy suit with a delicate gold shimmer. This is what Gabrielle Chanel would do on her walks through the Scottish countryside: she would gather ferns and bouquets of flowers to inspire the local artisans for the tones she wanted.”

Then there is her story with the Duke of Westminster, his jackets that she made her own. “There’s nothing sexier than wearing the clothes of the person you love,” continues Virginie Viard. “Of course, I’m fascinated by this ever-contemporary gesture. And it’s CHANEL that renders the tweed feminine.”

For the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2022/23 Ready-to-Wear collection, presented in a space at the Grand Palais Éphémère swathed entirely in tweed, there are jackets in psychedelic colours, others that are subtly masculine or slightly oversize, trousers in black panne velvet, tight skirts worn with long socks and pointed pumps with a mini stiletto heel in patent leather, as well as boots and thigh-high boots in black or beige rubber. “I was also thinking about England in the 1960s, and very colourful record covers,” adds Virginie Viard.

Allowing for infinite combinations of colours and materials, tweed is an eternal code for the House: “I love working with it so much, I couldn’t live without it at CHANEL.”

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