The Easy, Breezy Look Of Chanel

To the fashion pack who embark on the glamorous but grueling four-city, month-long journey, the last Tuesday of Paris Fashion Week is elatedly referred to as “Chanel Day”. Not only is it the show that many have been looking forward to, but it also marks the light at the end of a long, frenetic fashion tunnel, giving hope that soon they’ll be going home — but not without seeing the show that, for many, brought them to Paris in the first place.

Before the Chanel show even begins, a short video clip of Penélope Cruz and Brad Pitt reenacting a scene from the French classic A Man And A Woman by Claude Lelouch plays across the vast screen positioned at the center of the runway. The two protagonists of the original film meet at their kid’s boarding school in Deauville, the very source of inspiration for Creative Director Virginie Viard’s Fall/Winter 2024 Chanel collection.

This singular place is where it all began for the brand. An upscale seaside commune in the Normandy region of France, Gabrielle Chanel opened up a hat shop in 1912, then her first collection of clothing came soon after. For Viard, “This story is very close to my heart,” and serves as the main focal point for the collection. While models walked down the runway, a video in the backdrop displayed the famous wooden boardwalk Les Planches and the expansive sand beach of Deauville, while languid music from French duo Air played back to back, reminding one of long, sun-filled days.

The clothing also reflected the easy, breezy mood of the coastal locale. Generously cut tweed suiting which ranged from culottes to slouchy trousers allowed models to move freely. Large brim floppy hats in an array of colors from lilac to sky blue, wool coats in shades reminiscent of the sunset, and a cocoon-shaped, low-waist dress fluttering as it made its down the runway, made you want to escape to this dream-like place.

Deauville aside, there were plenty of options that were suitable for present-day, metropolitan living, too. Some of my favorites include a black leather jumpsuit, blue cropped puffer — worn with, fittingly, a white Camellia flower brooch — waxed denim separates, slouchy boots, and shearling jacket complete with a classic quilted bag to match. While I dream of being the lady who retreat to the seaside with a tweed dressing coat and newsboy cap, reality tugs me towards to these items that will definitely pay off in cost per wear.

And that’s definitely the mind frame you’ll need if ever considering to buy something from the French luxury brand. These days, a classic quilted bag sells in the five digit vicinity; so to have a piece of the proverbial Chanel pie is as much as a mortgage monthly payment for a four-person family in a coastal town along the U.S., at the very least. But hey, fashion was never a practical matter. It was always about the dream, the longing for something beautiful and exciting. And Chanel will always deliver exactly that.