In celebration of Chanel’s latest collaboration with Baz Luhrmann, we take a stroll back through the brand’s best campaign films
This morning the latest Chanel No5 campaign dropped, this time starring the legend that is Gisele Bundchen, directed by master of romance Baz Luhrmann, the man behind Romeo and Juliet, the Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge. Six hours in and pushing 60,000 likes on Facebook, it already smells like another hit video. Soundtracked by a dreamy Lo-Fang cover of The One That I Want, a modern update on the Grease karaoke classic, and featuring Gisele on a Chanel surfboard this is up there with Chanel’s greatest advertising hits, mixing crisp modern finesse with the house’s eye for a vintage feel. Here’s the rundown of our favourite ever Chanel films:
No.5 THE FILM
It’s been ten years since Baz Luhrmann’s first film for Chanel, a fantastical epic starring Nicole Kidman that reportedly cost $42 million, and was the most glamourous ad of 2004, if not the decade. The image of Nicole, “the world’s most famous woman” running away with a stranger to sit on a giant Chanel sign wearing a giant pink gown is so unforgettably over the top.
That beard. That voice. Those eyes. This was the moment we became just a little bit more jealous of Angelina.
Keira Knightley riding a motorbike through Paris to Joss Stone? Yes please. The classic Chanel woman (and Coco lookalike) ends up on a photoshoot where she gets very personal with the photographer. Mischievous, flirty and iconic.
ONCE UPON A TIME BY KARL LAGERFELD
An eighteen minute film, starring Keira Knightley (again), this one features Chanel’s early haters, hating on Coco’s first boutique. Shot in black and white with some French subtitles, Once Upon a Time is a classy affair. The best part is Knightley playing Coco Chanel, and taking absolutely no shit from anyone.
I LOVE CHANEL
A tribute to legendary 1950’s fashion photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, sound tracked by an epic Goldfrapp tune.
A short and sweet TV ad featuring the dreamy Gaspard Ulliel playing a brooding actor caught our attention back in 2010. Directed by Martin Scorcese with a Rolling Stones soundtrack it’s not just the good looking star that’s got us interested, although here’s hoping it’s repeated on TV again this year all the same.
Train de Nuit is the story of a chance encounter on a decadent night train to Istanbul, starring Audrey Tatou (also the star of Anne Fontaine’s Coco Before Chanel). On what looks like the holiday of a lifetime, she ends up getting with another very handsome Chanel gentleman. Jealous.
Words Elliot Rose. twitter.com/elliot_rose