V&A Museum Will Stage "Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto" Exhibition

This exhibition is based on the previous "Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto" exhibition held at the Palais Galliera - Paris Fashion Museum and has been reimagined based on the V&A Museum's collection. In addition to the collections from the Paris Fashion Museum, it also includes items from Chanel's brand heritage department, Patrimoine de CHANEL. These collections are showcased together with rare pieces from the V&A Museum's collection.

Overall, the exhibition brings together more than 200 outfits, as well as jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, and perfumes, organized into ten thematic sections. It comprehensively displays Gabrielle Chanel's pioneering designs in the field of fashion, highlighting her innovative approaches to fabrics, silhouettes, and structures, and exploring how she introduced new systems to 20th-century fashion.

Highlights of the exhibition include one of the earliest extant Chanel garments from 1916, original creations designed by Chanel for the 1924 Russian Ballets "Le Train Bleu," costumes designed for Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich, and early examples of Chanel's seminal evening trousers from its final collection in 1971.

By showcasing Chanel's most iconic fashion designs over 60 years, the exhibition presents her career, the birth and evolution of her unique style, and her contributions to the history of fashion. Additionally, the exhibition emphasizes Chanel's inspiration drawn from the UK, such as her use of herringbone tweed and collaborations with British textile companies and manufacturers.

This exhibition will be the first comprehensive showcase of the fashion legacy of the French couturière Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel in the UK. The exhibition officially opens on September 16th and runs until February 25th, 2024. Tickets are priced at 24 euros, and V&A Museum members can visit for free.