Chanel Haute Couture SS24: from buttons to ballet
Virginie Viard elevates an ordinary button to whole new levels with her SS24 Haute Couture collection.
The set
Small yet mighty, the button has long epitomised the House of Chanel, adorning garments since the very first jacket Coco Chanel made. The set of the show pays tribute to the jewelled button: a paired back round set (unusual for Chanel), dominated by a giant button adorned with the interlocking Cs.
The inspiration
More than just a trivial, functional element, at Chanel the button elevates each look - as teased by actors and House ambassadors Margaret Qualley and Anna Mouglalis (with the help of Naomi Campbell) in the teaser shared by Chanel before the show: "Beauty within the imperfections of time" - "The button". We saw Qualley's quest to find the missing button on her iconic tweed jacket, with a glimpse of the different iterations of the object over the years.
In her show notes, Viard promised us she was taking the button, "an object as utilitarian as ornamental, into the world of ballet and dance". And that she certainly did.
The standout looks
Models gracefully walked down - or round - the runway, led by Margaret Qualley, with the graceful aura of ballet dancers. The first few looks were white, transitioning in an aquarelle-dominated palette of pale pinks and blues with the odd pop of colour.
Each look told a story, intrinsically linked to dance and ballet. The embroidered cropped pink jacket and mini skirt layered over a white leotard that a ballerina might wear post-rehearsal. The off-shoulder beaded and organza gown she might don for a red carpet event. The tutu and sequinned brassiere she might wear on stage, and the corset and trousers she might wear off it.
Couture always beautifully showcases the savoir-faire of the House, and that finesse can be seem throughout the collection in the beautiful and delicate details: the lace, the bows, the flowers, the sequins, and yes... the buttons.
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Viard explained in her notes: "For me, dance evokes all these stories and emotions that are close to my heart, and that I take such pleasure in handing down and recounting".
And there was certainly no lack of emotion at this show.
The celebrities
As usual, the FROW was exceptional. Lucy Boynton, Imani Selina, Anna Mouglalis and Xin Zhi Lei were just some of the celebrities showing their support for the House of Chanel.
Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.
Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).
Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.
However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.
Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.
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