Dakar, Tokyo, and inspirational landmarks

Mr. Bruno Pavlovsky: Why did we choose Dakar, or Tokyo, and beyond? First and foremost, it’s the inspiration behind each collection and show. Chanel has never been to Africa before, and Dakar – Senegal’s capital has been in the Virginie plan since before COVID-19, and when the world reopens, Dakar returning is a destination that we want to direct.

Dakar, Tokyo, and inspirational landmarks

It is a place that possesses very special energy, an energy that we want to reproduce through our designs and performances, and at the same time honors the skillful hands of the artisans… Dakar is even more special because has a long and very diverse traditional craft culture. The workers here have been doing embroidery, knitting, sewing thread production… for a long time, handed down through generations.

So we collaborated with the IFAN Cultural Academy and the artisans there to create an exhibition of traditional crafts in Dakar, and then the exhibition was brought to Paris. It is part of our efforts to enrich the bond between artisans and to bring new experiences to the brand through the perspective of talented artists.

We bring the Métiers d’Art 2022/23 collection back to Tokyo this time because of the creative energy here and look forward to the exciting effects when you mix different cultures, and connect many talents together, to tell the same story. Chanel’s love affair in Japan has lasted for more than 40 years, and this is a good time to make a comeback.

Mr. Bruno Pavlovsky: Chanel’s definition of feminine beauty and luxury has changed with Virginie Viard in the position of Creative Director. Virginie has “realized” those values strongly and clearly in her own way, through contemporary yet flexible, sexy designs. More and more women are interested in Chanel’s designs.

That difference can come from the fact that the clothes are designed by women, for women who love fashion, and that is very important. Virginie has a keen intuition to understand the desires of the modern woman, and her world doesn’t just revolve around fashion. Virginie does not hesitate to open the door to her creative world to draw inspiration from music, cinema, literature…

Virginie knows that we must always move with the flow of culture and contemporary art and she has created a creative community of artists from many different fields. With their talents, they contribute to building the next steps for the future of the brand and the haute couture industry.