Savoir-faire sets Haute Couture apart, and nowhere is it more revered than in Chanel's ateliers on Rue Cambon. Below, Vogue Scandinavia get up close and personal with the exquisite details of the French Maison's autumn/winter '25 collection
As one of the oldest houses of Couture, Chanel has always held court at Rue Cambon. There, at number 31, Chanel's enchanting collections take shape in the French Maison's six mythical ateliers, with some 150 people working tirelessly to showcase the technical expertise, virtuosity, and sensitivity of the brand's savoir-faire, spending months minutely crafting each garment stitch-by-stitch.
For Chanel, Haute Couture offers a realm of absolute freedom, where every dream and creative imagination can take flight. This season, the sophisticated and theatrical collection was unveiled in the grandeur of the Paris Opera. The set design, a creation of French director Christophe Honoré, saw Chanel's women moving through the corridors surrounding Palais Garnier's auditorium. They emerged down the steps, reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, with opera capes flowing and tulle skirts flouncing.
Sound is a sensory experience not often discussed in fashion, but on this occasion, the rustle of riveting looks walking past was a marker of the fine details: the beadwork and fabric manipulation becoming part of the soundscape. These details come courtesy of the brand's quintessential Maisons D'art: the embroiderers, feather workers, paruriers, glove-makers, hatters, shoe-makers, and goldsmiths in charge of the embellishments and accessories.
Backstage image, shared exclusively with Vogue Scandinavia. Photo: Karim Sadli for Chanel
Backstage image, shared exclusively with Vogue Scandinavia. Photo: Karim Sadli for Chanel
This season, these masters of their craft have created magical displays that are truly a sight to behold up close. The sequins, painstakingly stitched one by one onto Chanel's emblematic tweed, the pearls meticulously lining the standing collar of a beaded jacket, and the texture of a gilded skirt shaped with precision by hand. The dramatic crow-like cape, feathers interwoven with black beadwork, and the multi-coloured handbraided cord trim all showcase unparalleled artistry. Detail fetishists, in particular, should pay extra attention to the buttons, each one made to match the look it adorns.
To founder Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, luxury must – reportedly – remain almost invisible. Instead, it must be felt. And we're happy to report that it was truly felt in this season's Haute Couture collection. In the boned construction of the bodices, the shift of a knee-length skirt, and the dramatic pleating of a collar. Not to mention the delicate details and dazzling embellishments adorning each piece.
Below, discover Chanel's Haute Couture collection up close in exclusive progress photos from the atelier:
All images courtesy of Chanel
