As I finally approach my long booked ticket for the
Schiaparelli Exhibition at the V&A, I wanted to throwback to its last
fashion epic – Gabrielle Chanel Manifesto.
The exhibition was popular – like the current Schiaparelli –
as I was in an online queue for a few hours to get tickets, which I managed to
get for a few weeks in. I hindsight I wish I had waited like I have for the
Schiaparelli one, but more on that later.
The exhibition ran through elements chronologically at the
beginning with key moments in her life and some early pieces, such as a
silk-jersey blouse from 1916 on display. Some of these pieces took me by
surprise as their condition was excellent considering their age.
A selection of other garments from the early 1900s were also
on display towards the start and showcased the simple elegance that Chanel was
known for; loose silhouettes that skimmed the figure, delicate details and
fabrics…a step away from the heavily structured garments of the previous decades.
Photographs, magazines, letters and swatch books
contextualise the exhibition journey including her society connections – one of
which being Winston Churchill - and how these associations led her to adopt British
garments, style lines and practical fabrics within her work. She also allowed
these connections to form part of her brands evolution and build her career and
notoriety.
Dropped waist and long line pieces also began to appear as
the exhibition developed to show the changing styles in society. Colours became
bolder, beading and embroidery more elaborate – arguably, her client’s needs
changed with society and culture and with her array of wealthy benefactors, she
could continue to evolve in bolder, creative and artistic ways. The garments on
display help to show these style changes and with accompanying letters and
photographs, it was clear to see that she cultivated and maintained her high
society relationships well. Whether this was for her own single-minded gain or cultivated
these connections in exchange purely to ‘open doors’ it’s difficult to
determine, but artefacts in the exhibition could suggest it’s both.
The Little Black Dress is featured prominently - Chanel’s
love of its simplicity and modern elegance rejuvenated its popularity in the
early 20
th century as not just something for service or mourning,
but something to be worn by all women no matter the occasion or need. This
change of purpose gave it a universal appeal that continues to last to this day.
My only complaint is that the black dresses behind the glass screens were back
lit making the detail very difficult to see, and with additional light glare appearing
on the front of the glass where we were standing, it washed out the finer
details. This happened a number of times and as an appreciator of the construction
and detail, this made it hard to see some of the craftsmanship.
Then came the tweed suit room…
The iconic Chanel silhouette shown through ombre colours
across the years in a semi circle display. This suit line up showed the subtle detail
changes across the seasons and designs and was an excellent product example of -
please forgive the phrase - ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’. Variations on
this garment still feature in current collections and is arguably one of the
most iconic and recognisable pieces for the brand. I loved how the pieces were
displayed here but again, light glare was an issue as was busyness (the photo shows a brief respite in crowds so i could capture as much of this room as possible).
Towards the end of the exhibition, there was a nod to the famous
staircase in 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, where Chanel would live, work and present
her collections. It’s been noted that she used to sit mid-way up the stairs
when collections were presented and in the reflections of the mirrors surrounding
it, observe viewer reactions and the progress of shows. More elaborate, grand
and detailed pieces were displayed artfully along the sweeping staircase
allowing the curators to lead you to a dramatic ending – from Chanel’s original
simplicity to extravagance.
Overall, I enjoyed the exhibition. It showed the development
of her career and design style in a clear way and I felt there were a lot of
garments on display; this isn’t always the case with exhibitions.
However, at times it was overly busy in areas making it very
difficult to see the garments on display – something everyone there had gone to
see and appreciate. Its important for museums and galleries to make money to
support their work but maybe staggering the entrance times more or reducing the
amount of people going in at one time could help with this. I did go very early
on in the exhibition run though so I don’t think that helped. I’d spoken to
friends who had gone much later and it was nowhere near as busy and much more
enjoyable. This is one of the reasons I waited for Schiaparelli till September,
despite it being open since March. The exhibition closes in November.
I also found the light glare frustrating at times as this
masked some of the details on the garments. When visiting museums and galleries
in other countries, they don’t always put pieces behind glass and it’s been
great to experience and enjoy the garments up close. However, I do understand
that museums do this to carefully preserve these pieces for future generations
but maybe a happy medium can be found somewhere in future.
I’ve seen some great photos of the Schiaparelli exhibition
on social media so I’m looking forward to viewing the garments not through a
screen! Fashion and Art collaborations have always been an interest so i’ll eagerly
await my visit.
