Chanel Heads to Dakar; Virgil Abloh Remembered at Vuitton; Frédéric Malle’s Perfume Exhibit
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Chanel in Dakar: Destination fashion shows are back big time, and extending to emerging luxury markets throughout Africa.
Chanel said it will show its next Métiers d’Art collection in Dakar, Senegal, on Dec. 6.
More from WWD
“By choosing Dakar, the house wishes to make the savoir-faire of its métiers d’art resonate with the artistic and cultural energy of the city,” the French luxury brand said in a brief statement.
Chanel has stuck close to home in recent years — partly due to the pandemic, partly to cement its ties to Paris — but said it will now resume its tradition of making the Métiers d’Art show a moveable feast.
The brand has showed Métiers d’Art collections, timed around the pre-fall season, in cities as far-flung as Tokyo, New York, Shanghai, Rome, Edinburgh, Salzburg and Dallas.
These pricy ready-to-wear collections celebrate the capabilities of the specialty ateliers Chanel has acquired through its Paraffection subsidiary.
The last Métiers d’Art show took place at Le19M, a striking center for specialty workshops designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti and located near Porte d’Aubervilliers, a working-class area north of Paris.
Le19M brings together embroiderer and tweed-maker Lesage, its embroidery school and Lesage Intérieurs; embroidery workshop Montex and its decoration department MTX; shoemaker Massaro; feather- and flower-maker Lemarié; milliner Maison Michel; pleater Lognon; grand flou atelier Paloma, and goldsmith Goossens. It also houses swimwear and lingerie brand Eres.
Chanel broke its recent streak of French shows with a repeat presentation of its cruise 2022 collection last November in Dubai, and a repeat show of its most recent Métiers d’Art collection in Florence earlier this month. — MILES SOCHA
Virgil Tributes: To say the Louis Vuitton show was the hottest show of the season might be a little premature when it’s just day three of Paris Men’s Week, but with the start time temp topping 85 degrees and seats in direct sun, everyone was feeling the heat.
“This breeze coming through is very welcomed, and I’m glad I have short sleeves,” said Justin Timberlake, who arrived with wife Jessica Biel.
Timberlake was on hand to pay tribute to longtime friend Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton who passed away last November.
“You know Virgil has had such an impact and will continue to have such an impact moving forward, to be here to help pay tribute is an honor,” he told WWD.
The couple exchanged greetings and stories about their toddlers with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chief executive officer Bernard Arnault and his son Antoine Arnault, the group’s director of environment and image.
“I’m cooking,” said Joel Edgerton, who was about to shed his denim jacket. “I’m just a plus one when I’m here. I feel like a fish out of water,” the actor said, taking in the outsized set in the center courtyard of the Louvre museum.
Despite being married to Christine Centenera, fashion director of Vogue Australia, he said he’s more of a jeans and T-shirt guy in his downtime. “I’ll wear a tux if I have to. Most of the time, I wear what people tell me to wear. That makes it easier,” he said jokingly.
It was the first time “Jurassic World Dominion” star Omar Sy has attended a fashion show. He brought his daughter, Selly Sy, and it was her first fashion show as well. “It’s the first time for everything,” he said.
Against the grand background of the historical museum juxtaposed against the futuristic yellow runway, the actor reflected on Abloh’s legacy. “He was always having fresh and new ideas to bring all the time,” he said. “I love the evolution as well, and that it can travel through time. It’s a very old brand and the way the monogram travels is fascinating.”
The show started off with the marching band from Florida A&M University performing a lively routine. As the models took the stage, Kendrick Lamar, wearing a crystal crown of thorns, performed live from his seat.
Luka Sabbat was seen lip synching along. “I have the Kendrick album and the clothes were sick,” Sabbat said, before making a break for it. “I’m really sorry, but I’m so hot right now.”
After the show, Naomi Campbell declared it “beautiful.” “I was honored to be seated next to Kendrick Lamar,” she said as she made a beeline to share a hug with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. The two made dinner plans for after the show.
J Balvin exchanged greetings with Edgar Ramirez. “It was really, really, really amazing and also really nostalgic,” Balvin said. “You know, this was a really tough one. Rest in peace, Virgil.” — RHONDA RICHFORD
Stéphane Feugère/WWD
Malle IRL: Frédéric Malle always sees colors and patterns while smelling a scent, and those visual elements spring to life in an exhibition due to open in Paris on Thursday.
The idea for the show, called “Le Vestiaire de Monsieur,” came in part from the newest perfume from Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, called Uncut Gem. The fragrance is by perfumer Maurice Roucel and due out in early September.
“It’s the kind of man which we never had — more rugged, more extreme, more manly,” Malle said of the scent, which goes against the grain of men’s fragrances today and tends to skew toward the feminine.
“We always begin from the scent itself. We never have a marketing idea,” he continued.
Malle had long adored how Roucel smelled — of something he had created for himself. It took a lot of coaxing, but ultimately Roucel agreed to use that juice as a base and extend it with more complexity and richness for Malle.
Uncut Gem includes notes of bergamot, ginger, angelica root, vetiver, incense, ambrocénide crystal and musk.
Rather than celebrate only the newest fragrance, Malle opted to fete the collection of scents in his portfolio that are particularly men friendly. Seven in total are being showcased for the exhibit, including — alongside Uncut Gem — Vetiver Extraordinaire, Monsieur, French Lover, Bigarade, Geranium Pour Monsieur and Musc Ravageur.
“We didn’t have a dry spice-slash-amber,” Malle said. “It’s interesting to put these perfumes into context.”
An art installation was created in-house for each of them, “showing the colors and the atmosphere that I see when I smell them,” said Malle, who also always envisions patterns.
Take Bigarade, for instance, in his mind’s eye Malle sees fluorescent pink, and minty green for Geranium. A gold disco à la Régine is how he envisages Monsieur.
“It’s a way to celebrate how extensive and varied the collection is,” said Malle, about the exhibit, adding: “There’s not one way to be a man — there are so many ways — and we wanted to remind people of that.”
Even pre-opening, the show has struck a chord. By Wednesday night about 1,000 people had already signed on to visit the “Le Vestiaire de Monsieur,” which runs through Sunday at 5 bis Rue de Beauce, in Paris’ third arrondissement.
“We are considering opening it in difference places,” Malle said.
That evening, he hosted in the three-story gallery a cocktail party for friends of the house. Attendees included Christian Louboutin, Olivier Theyskens, Pierre Hardy, Vincent Darré and Brigitte Lacombe. — JENNIFER WEIL
Courtesy of Valentin Le Cron/Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
