Long before the “bow girl,” in all her coquettecore glory, became a fashion archetype, there was Chanel. This morning at Paris Fashion Week, the French house wrapped the Grand Palais in a massive black ribbon to celebrate one of its most beloved motifs. (One which dates back to the braid that was embroidered on many of Gabrielle Chanel’s early creations.)
The installation was designed by Willo Perron, and the ribbon inspiration extended to the collection, created by the in-house Creation Studio (incoming artistic director Matthieu Blazy will present his first show in October). With Tyla, Raye, and Camila Cabello looking on, the show explored the many uses of the trope. Jacket collars and cuffs were decorated with bows, of both the real and trompe l’oeil variety. A festive ribbon print swirled around dresses. Models sported jaunty bows in their hair. And white blouses were fastened with oversized pussy bows.
The ribbon wasn’t the only strand of the Chanel DNA to get a tribute today. Strings of pearls were also stacked onto many of the looks. They found their way into bags, including crossbody styles that looked like a gargantuan necklace had been slung over a shoulder (one of the collection’s many witty plays on scale), and also onto clever ankle boots whose heels were one giant pearl.
Classic Chanel bouclé and tweed were also showcased here. Complete with sheer tulle overlays and colorful patterns, the fabrics skewed modern in the hands of the design team. Some looks were topped off with matching boater-style hats, another nod to Chanel history. And the camellia, famously Coco’s favorite flower, naturally had its moment, recreated in ribbon around the collar of a sweater dress.
