March 18, 2025 |
When I first got the invite to Chanel’s Métiers d’art collection, I thought, “Why are they having it in Hangzhou of all places?” The only fact I knew about the locale was that it had this incredible, man-made lake that people in Shanghai like to visit in much the same way we New Yorkers escape upstate. Then I learnt that the largest of the famous antique coromandel lacquered screens in Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment shows scenes of Hangzhou’s West Lake, and it all started to make sense.
The city on the lake dates back more than 3,000 years (it’s older than Rome!) to the Liangzhu culture and the dawn of Chinese civilisation. One of the seven ancient capitals of China, it was a hub for trade in silk, tea and porcelain. These days, like so much in China, it’s a fascinating mix of the ancient and the new. A quick pre-flight Google revealed images of mists gently rising over the magical lake, which is dotted with ancient temples. But next to the water, the striking modern city has risen. Hangzhou is the hometown of Jack Ma, the billionaire Alibaba founder, and the company is headquartered in an ultra-modern campus downtown. The place has also become a hub for local influencers. Creativity and commerce have come together here in such a dynamic way, I wasn’t surprised to learn that it is home to some of the busiest luxury boutiques in China.
We checked into the new Four Seasons, in the heart of the modern city, where a Chanel welcome pack was waiting. Inside was an elegant fan necklace, reflecting the theme of the show and a fascinating photobook curated by former Vogue China editor-in-chief Margaret Zhang. After 24 hours of travelling, I was more than ready for elegant cocktails and some incredible roast duck. Modern and ancient, chic and cultured, with picture-postcard views and one of the most beautiful waterfronts I’ve ever seen, Hangzhou exceeded my expectations. But it wasn’t all glamour. It turned out that I was allergic to the pollen around the lake and came out in itchy hives.
The next day, with me dosed up on industrial-strength antihistamines, one elegant experience followed another. We visited a textile museum in the morning, which was full of the most intricate and beautiful silks, then had lunch at the ultra-chic Aman hotel, followed by a traditional gong meditation session. I blame the jet lag, but I fell asleep almost immediately during the meditation, though I did wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the night ahead. It was time to slip on not just one, but two of my favourite Chanel jackets (it’s cold on the lake) and head to the show. Travelling with Chanel is always special. They do everything so well and craft truly memorable experiences. On the day of the show we were driven around the lake to a special spot (apparently there are pandas in this area, but sadly we didn’t see any). There was a fleet of beautiful antique boats waiting to ferry us to the show venue on the lake. In the middle of the water, Chanel had built a striking modernist structure, covered in moss and foliage. Dusk was falling and the place was lit with lanterns. It looked completely magical.
The runway was floating on the lake and the event was a true celebration of Paris-Hangzhou. Liu Wen (who else!) opened the show wearing a sleek, long, black tweed coat and walked to the beat of traditional drums. The Chanel Métiers D’art collection is a showcase for the staggering skills of the artisans working in the house’s specialist ateliers and they did not disappoint. The camelia, Chanel’s signature flower, found its way onto almost every piece, embroidered or appliquéd onto quilted puffers, jacquard skirts and even as a gilded detail on tweeds. The silhouettes highlighted the Paris-Hangzhou connection, from the pagoda sleeves to the mandarin collars. One enveloping jacket with exaggerated quilting nodded to similar Chinese jackets popular in the cold northern region of the country. My standout piece? Besides a slew of divine accessories, a beautiful gold dress, trimmed with flowers, is living rent-free in my head.
Afterwards, we made our way to a huge floating marquee, where French indie rockers Phoenix played. The lead singer, Thomas Mars, is married to Sofia Coppola, a long-time friend of the house. She wasn’t there, but Tilda Swinton and Lupita Nyong’o were, and the party was teeming with Asian megastars who provoke a special kind of hysteria in their fans. People were climbing over each other to try to get a picture of the actors Wang Yibo and Jing Boran. We rubbed elegant shoulders with some of Asia’s most famous and beautiful actresses, including Lu Yuxiao and Xin Zhilei, Lu Yuxiao, Natsuki Deguchi, Ning Chang and the gorgeous Zhang Zifeng. It was all over too soon. Just 48 hours after we arrived it was time to go home.
Taken from 10 Magazine Issue 74 – MUSIC, TALENT, CREATIVE – out now. Order your copy here.
CHANEL: DREAM SEQUENCE
Photographer FISH ZHANG
Fashion Editor ALVIN YU
Text DORA FUNG
Model HYUNJI SHIN at IMG Models
Hair XU YOUHUA
Make-up MOUNTAIN GAO at The ASCC World
Photographer’s assistant BOYU ZHAO
Fashion assistant ORCH LEONG
Hair assistant MIKE GAO
Casting DAVID CHEN
Producer GABRIELLA CHEN
Line producer JASON CHENG
Clothing and accessories throughout by CHANEL Métiers d’art 2024/25 collection
