“The films we have seen, those that possess us and those we invent for ourselves, Marienbad, the Nouvelle Vague, the allure according to Gabrielle Chanel, Karl, the night, feathers, sequins, heels: I like it when things get mixed up,” observes Virginie Viard. Expelling the spirit of this sentiment into its SS23 Ready-To-Wear collection, Chanel looks towards the effortless elegance of cinematic universes to inspire pieces that offer equal parts allure and mystery.

With a haunted film – Alain Resnais’ Last Year in Marienbad – as its muse, the collection encapsulates the class and freedom of Gabrielle Chanel herself, who wished to create an artistic revolution around these very qualities. For its modern adaptation, Chanel focus on Kristen Stewart as Gabrielle’s worthy incarnation. Speaking of this direction, Virginie Viard explains further, “Whether it’s her, or the other women I dress, I need to feel that they like the clothes anyway. But, of the people around me, she is the closest to Gabrielle Chanel, at least to my idea of her. She understands CHANEL, its clothes. And with her, it becomes even more modern. This collection, it’s also her.”

Unveiling the film before the show began, Kristen Stewart is lensed longingly looking out towards the bustling streets of Paris, where she is eventually approached by press and asked what makes her hopeful about the future. Candidly, Stewart responds with a poignant pondering of societies accelerated period of growth — reflecting on how it is more important to outdo our best days and start again, rather than simply hoping for a better tomorrow.

As the film fades to black, the Ready-To-Wear collection begins to cascade down the runway in full force. Though showcasing a collage of silhouettes, materials and styles, the pieces all mimic each other as if brought to life by one strain of consciousness. Through its continuation of tweed, feathers and monochrome palettes, the collection boasts a feeling of formality just as much as it encourages freedom — an effortless depiction of Chanel’s nuanced and refined approach to fashion.

To shop the full collection, head to chanel.com now or, alternatively, to watch the film head below…