Feminine designs underpinned by an air of masculine strength are intrinsic to Chanel’s identity. This approach harkens back to the Maison’s founder Gabrielle Chanel, whose preference for subtly feminine silhouettes with masculine accents still informs collections today.
That is certainly the case for Chanel’s fall-winter 2024/25 pre-collection campaign, fronted by American model-cum-actress Camila Morrone. In fact, it’s this contrast that Morrone says endeared her to Chanel from the beginning.
“Being a part of the Chanel family has always been a dream and aspiration of mine,” says the actress. “Over the years of working so closely with them for shows and red carpets, we naturally developed a beautiful dialogue and understanding of what version my ‘Chanel essence’ is.”
That essence, it appears, is effortless 1940s Hollywood glamour, with Morrone starring as the elegant leading lady. One inspiration Morrone points to is Rita Hayworth in the noir film, Gilda, in which she plays a criminal’s wife. “There was such a seduction, class, power in the clothes they wore,” explains Morrone. “They looked like true movie stars, they didn’t show too much skin, and yet, they were as seductive as can be. That’s what the French woman does so well.”
Captured in black and white stills shot by Paris-born photographer Karim Sadli, a Parisian restaurant acts as the backdrop for the pre-collection campaign, where a leather outfit and a chiffon top and skirt set with a bow motif play with cut-outs, transparency, and high-leg slits. (A nod to the mostly covered-up seduction Morrone references.)
“I have always gravitated to classic silhouettes that tapped into subtle femininity,” says Morrone. “Whether it’s exposing the décolletage, or accentuating the waistline. Within that, I still love the feel of a masculine look, the weight of the material and the structure to it. I love the contrast of the two.”
The House has also reimagined its signature tweed as a scoop neck vest top, but other Chanel hallmarks — such as camellias, embroidered bows, jewelled buttons, and long-chained bags — are all present in their purest forms throughout the collection. “It’s young, it’s fresh, it’s strong and most importantly, it’s effortless,” says Morrone.
The Chanel Fall-Winter 2024/25 pre-collection is available in boutiques.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
