A Peek into the Making of CHANEL’s Métiers d’art 2024/25
- Text by Magnifissance Magazine
- Photos Courtesy of Chanel
The CHANEL Métiers d’art collections have long celebrated the savoir-faire of the exceptional Maisons d’art artisans and ateliers that bring the couture vision to life. The 2024/25 collection continues this tradition, paying tribute to the resident ateliers at the le19M studios in Paris.
The show unfolded on the shores of the legendary West Lake in Hangzhou, China, a tribute to the landscapes captured on the lacquered Coromandel screens in Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment at 31 rue Cambon. Join Magnifissance for an exclusive behind-the-scenes journey through the ateliers, where the collection began to take form. The renowned ateliers of Montex, Lemarié, Lognon, Massaro, Goossens, Lesage, and Maison Michel each added their signature touches to this exceptional Métiers d’art collection.
Known for its exquisite embroidery, Lesage—a member of the Métiers d’art since 2002—celebrates its centenary this year. Its designs for this collection reimagine the Coromandel screen motifs adored by Gabrielle Chanel, with tweeds that mirror the screens’ rich, lacquered reflections and boots that pay homage to the very pair Gabrielle wore, crafted alongside shoemaker Massaro.
Beneath the twilight, the floral braids crafted by Montex, another of CHANEL’s embroidery masters, glowed softly in the dark. Founded in 1949, the house created these hand-painted, phosphorescent blooms, casting an otherworldly shimmer as night unfolded.
The house of Lemarié, famed for its fine featherwork and intricate fabric flowers, unveiled playful feather boas that draped over pastel-hued jackets. Among them, a pleated and quilted creation in soft jade silk, alongside a sky-blue velvet piece embossed with delicate floral patterns. The pleating artisans of Lognon, part of the Lemarié atelier, displayed their artistry in an off-white satin jacket, where the intricate pleats formed a stunning dimensional quilting effect. The grand finale from both ateliers was a breathtaking gown, layered with pleating and lace that shimmered with lurex and golden beads.
Maison Michel, the milliner and hatter founded in 1936 and acquired by CHANEL in 1997, presented leather and felt hats that nodded to vintage traveller costumes, complementing tailored tweed ensembles. Meanwhile, Goossens, the goldsmith atelier established in 1950, contributed gilded metal jewellery inspired by archival heart-shaped designs, intertwined with natural textures like water lily leaves.
Through each piece, the world of CHANEL unfolds, a world where exceptional craftsmanship transforms creative visions into timeless works of art.
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