02.10.2020
It’s hard to believe that this lady never had a retrospective exhibition dedicated to her legacy until now (though several films about her life do make up for it). But just two months shy to the 50th anniversary of her passing, Palais Galliera in Paris reopened in grand fashion with this timely homage to the global fashion icon known by many as Coco Chanel. Named Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, this landmark exhibition carries more weight than just another recap of the designer’s greatest hits namely the Chanel No. 5 perfume, 2.55 bags, and tweed jackets. It retells the true story of how one woman challenged the status quo in a male-dominated period in society and cemented her position as one of the most important voices in fashion and feminism. It also covers the important period of how she recovered her footing in fashion right after the war and restarted again in couture. Spanning an area of almost 1,500 square metres, there are over 350 items on display which were loaned from various museums around the world as well as some from private collections. The exhibition concludes next March 14.
