On 15th April 2024, Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, visited the construction site of the Grand Palais, in Paris, with Didier Fusillier, President of GrandPalaisRmn, in the presence of Bruno Pavlovsky, President of CHANEL Fashion and President of CHANEL SAS.
This visit to the construction site by the President of the French Republic celebrates and highlights the expertise and energy mobilised by thousands of workers to restore and upgrade one of Europe’s most beautiful historic monuments – originally built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition – ensuring its continuation in the 21st century.
As the exclusive and historic patron of the Grand Palais, CHANEL has, since 2018, been committed to providing long-term support for the exceptional restoration project of the Grand Palais, set to be completed in 2025, with a partial reopening in 2024 for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“This ambitious project reflects CHANEL’s attachment to the Grand Palais,” emphasises Bruno Pavlovsky. “Since 2005, its exceptional architecture has been the extraordinary setting for many of the House’s Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear shows. More than just a Parisian landmark, it is a veritable source of inspiration and creation.”
Reflecting the close ties between CHANEL and the Grand Palais, the door to the Nave is now officially the “Gabrielle Chanel” entrance, with a plaque bearing the name of the House’s founder. Looking to the future and open to the world, CHANEL is committed to continuing the approach initiated by Gabrielle Chanel of promoting the cultural and artistic influence of Paris.
“The name of Chanel is now inscribed in the history of the Grand Palais. Through this name, we are honouring the artistic directors of this house, Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard, Gabrielle’s heirs, who have presented so many shows here in our monument and have thus contributed to its global reputation. Fashion is one of the cultural and creative industries celebrated by the Grand Palais from its beginning,” says Didier Fusillier.
