In an announcement released on August 19, Chanel Metiers d Art will be displayed in Manchester, England, on December 7. The city built its fortune on the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. Nicknamed “Cottonopolis”, Manchester was once the international centre of the world’s cotton industry. In addition to being the home of Britpop music with bands like Oasis and Happy Mondays, and the infamous nightclub Haçienda from the 80s-90s.
Chanel did not give details about the exact location of the show, or her reasons for going to Manchester. But as always, the event will be graced by Chanel ambassadors and friends of Maison, celebrating the latest designs created by Virginie Viard. Her return to the UK coincides with Chanel’s strengthening of ties here. The brand established its London headquarters in 2018 and recently announced that it plans to double the size of its Mayfair facility, committing to the UK capital for another 20 years.
Meanwhile, in September, a major exhibition at the V&A in London will celebrate the work of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel; Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, will be inaugurated on September 23. Coco Chanel is said to have sought inspiration in Scotland for her tweed jackets and bicolor shoes, while the house still wears Scottish tweed and cashmere in its collections today.
The brand presented the line “Chanel Metiers d Art”, scheduled for pre-autumn seasons, in distant cities such as Tokyo, New York, Shanghai, Rome, Edinburgh, Salzburg and Dallas, and last year becameis the first European luxury brand to hold a fashion show in sub-Saharan Africa, holding the event in Dakar, Senegal.
At the heart of a Chanel Métiers d’art collection is the essence of encounters, as the brand itself emphasizes. It transcends beyond a mere fashion show, plunging into the very source of creation. According to the Drapers website, the show aims to showcase the artisanal skills of more than 600 skilled artisans, including embroidery, goldsmiths, shoemakers, hatters and leather experts, based in Porte d’Aubervilliers, in northern Paris. In addition, the collection celebrates the meeting with the chosen city, its unique locations, its vibrant residents and the influential cultural icons that give it life.
“Presented in cities and places that inspire the house, from Tokyo to New York, passing through Dakar last year, this collection testifies to Chanel’s historic commitment to this exceptional craft heritage and its influence around the world” said the French luxury brand in a brief statement. But while fashion enthusiasts mark in their calendars the date of the big presentation in Manchester, Chanel has another reserved gift. On November 2, the brand will hold its first significant event in China since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a repeat of the Cruise 2024 collection (Resort 2024) in Shenzhen.