Chanel Is Fun, Fresh and So Back at Paris Fashion Week

Graphic by Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez

Chanel presented its highly-anticipated Spring/Summer 2025 collection on Monday morning during Paris Fashion Week and needless to say, I was fairly impressed and pleased with the show.

Virginie Viard, former creative director of Chanel, announced her departure from the French luxury house in 2024. Many were left lost and uncertain about who would take one of the top jobs in the fashion industry (currently, TBA). But, for now, it's the studio’s turn to take over the role and show PFW what they have in store.

According to the brand, the collection is “...inspired by pioneering female figures, such as airwomen or the legendary author Colette who, like Gabrielle [Coco] Chanel, flouted the conventions of their time.”

Since the fashion house is currently in an interesting period, they decided to host the event at the Grand Palais, a classic venue for Chanel where it has been transformed into a beach, grocery store and rocket-launching station.

The Parisian museum was undergoing renovations for four years and was unavailable. But now, a giant white Chanel-branded cage is in the center of the historic attraction.

Icelandic musician Laufey, British supermodel Naomi Campbell, newly-announced brand ambassador and actress Lupita Nyong’o and South Korean singer and rapper Jennie Kim were present at the show.

As the show starts, Italian model Vittoria Ceretti is seen wearing chunky black and silver curricular logo earrings, a buttoned black and silver tweed cropped jacket, a matching skirt with slits, a black quilted goatskin backpack with the classic gold and leather chain as straps, along with platform black and white dress shoes that are made up of lines and braids.

Tweed suits, a wide range of feathers and black bows are house classics but are reinvented and fresh for a new generation of Chanel lovers.

Look 36 is impeccable, fun and reminiscent of Lagerfeld’s Chanel during the 90s. Chinese model Tinglei Liu sports gold Chanel earrings, a matching gold leaf choker and bracelets with the double-C logo adorned with crystals, a pink and yellow tweed matching set with cream lining, a bow and a floral fascinator, a bubblegum pink classic flap handbag with white and black platforms shoes that are solely soft leather.

Lace dresses, colorful prints and chain belts are accompanied by crystalized denim pants, flowy chiffon capes and handbags, the money makers of the brand.

American model and influencer Alex Consani (a.k.a TikTok’s fav) represents Look 51 and she looks like a million dollars. The outfit consists of long beaded earrings, a gray ruffled romper with contrasting pops of color that have silver sequins outlining the garment, a silver-and-white chain belt with a feather as the buckle and strappy white pumps with black on the tip of the shoe.

The use of prints on dresses and pops of color is lovely to see back on the runway, especially when Viard pushed a certain idea of Chanel, that many weren’t fans of, onto the masses for years.

American model Lulu Tenney closed the show majestically while wearing puffy white feather earrings, a white pleated dress with a sharp dress shirt collar, a long black bow tie, pearls, feathers and crystal buttons with metallic silver high-heels.

When Tenney is about to wrap up her walk, actress Riley Keough comes onto the catwalk, steps into the cage and gets on a swing while performing a cover of Prince’s 1984 hit ‘When Doves Cry.’ 

Once the swing is in action, the finale begins and models walk on both lanes that make up the show. Eventually, they cross paths inside the cage and switch positions on the runway. Finally, the models surround the cage and are met with applause from the audience.

From the selection of music to the innovative reinvention of looks and techniques that define Chanel, I can finally say that Chanel is back! The pops of color, willingness to play with accessories and push of jewelry are what many yearn for; a nostalgic feeling of Lagerfeld's Chanel. Now, we anticipate the announcement of who will transform the brand into something revolutionary while keeping in touch with the heritage of Gabrielle Chanel.