Xavier Veilhan / Chanel - (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The House of Chanel offers rare access behind the scenes to three haute couture runway shows designed in dialogue with contemporary artist Xavier Veilhan.

Virginie Viard, artistic director for Chanel's fashion collections, entrusted Xavier Veilhan with the set design for three consecutive haute couture shows: Spring‒Summer 2022, Fall‒Winter 2022/23, and Spring‒Summer 2023. This unusually long dialogue resulted in an original visual universe, blending Veilhan's poetic imagination, his reinterpretation of the Chanel world, and the infinite delicacy of Virginie Viard's haute couture creations.

This retrospective transports readers behind the scenes to observe each stage of the creative work at the origin of the shows. The book includes preparatory drawings, extracts from the films and teasers, photographs of the sets and the runway shows, and details of the embroidery, fabrics, and patterns of the haute couture creations. Exclusive images take readers inside the Chanel haute couture ateliers, revealing the design process and exceptional savoir faire at their core.

About the Author

Virginie Viard, artistic director for Chanel's fashion collections since 2019, joined the house in 1987, working with Karl Lagerfeld for more than thirty years. Françoise-Claire Prodhon is an art historian, curator, teacher, freelance journalist, and author of Liaigre Créations and other design monographs. Xavier Veilhan is a multidisciplinary French artist; his work has been shown in acclaimed institutions including the Centre Georges Pompidou, MAMCO, the Phillips Collection, Mori Art Museum, and MAAT. Charlotte Casiraghi is president of the Philosophical Encounters of Monaco and an ambassador and spokesperson for Chanel. Alexis Bertrand is a set designer for exhibitions and the stage.