At Paris Fashion Week, the audience was transported to a fictional Deauville for the Chanel show. The film of the Normandy seaside town, starring Brad Pitt and front-row observer Penelope Cruz, was black and white. Virginie Viard recreated the gender-fluid wardrobe of the founder of Chanel, using the drama of the ’70s. The movie DEAUVILLE is one of the highlights of fall-winter 2024 ready-to-wear shows.
Pitt and Cruz were portrayed as lovers in the idyllic town, with scenes of beach frolics and bonding over an order of medium-rare Chateaubriand steaks. Viard said that Deauville was where everything started for the house. It is where she drew inspiration from the world around her: the salty and striped uniforms of the fishermen, the speed of horses at the racetrack, and the chic madames on the sands. Viard recreated the Deauville boardwalk with sailor sweaters, dressing gown-style belted coats and strong-shoulder peacoats. Despite the poetical musings and finely proportioned coats, the penchant for accessories sometimes distracted from the garments and muddyed the clarity of Viard's vision. The setting evoked memories of a past spectacle by Karl Lagerfeld, her flamboyant predecessor, known for transforming the Grand Palais into a real beach with actual water.
Miuccia Prada and her little sister brand once again addressed profound themes through the lens of frivolity. Adulthood was seen as gloves and handbags, brooches, tailoring. This is evident in unexpected styling choices like teaming pieces with undergarments or athletic wear, challenging traditional fashion standards.