Set in the dimly lit Grand Palais Éphémère, with light emitting from staged windows showcasing images of the coastal town Hyères and vibrant colored flowers, the Chanel Spring Summer 2024 collection was full of easy — and highly covetable — pieces that modernized the way we think of how French girl dresses .
Yes, we’re all quite familiar with this mode of getting ready. (And have, perhaps, grown tired of the term?) Yet, it’s a look, an essence, that is a fashion constant just as much as “minimalism” or “quiet luxury.” However we feel about the label of these aesthetics, one thing is clear: There was nothing tired about the way in which Artistic Director Virginie Viard designed, draped, and put together her version of Gallic style. It was the update that was very much needed, and a cohesive message that pushed forward the idea of how to look cool and effortless in 2023, or more accurately 2024, when the collection will be in stores.
“This Spring-Summer 2024 Ready-to-Wear collection is an ode to liberty and to movement, and tells a story that has its roots in the gardens of the Villa Noailles,” explains Viard in the show notes. Those two tenets were clear and in full force from the opening looks of languid, tunic-like tweed maxi dresses to the knit sets with drop-waist skirts that followed. Even the classic Chanel tweed jackets were boxy in fit this season, including one that swapped the traditional nubby fabric for terrycloth in bright yellow, pink, and blue stripes.
If the unrestricted silhouettes and materials were not enough of a reason for joy, many of the outfits were paired with simple, and very chic, black flip flops with tiny Chanel logos. For those hotly anticipating comfortable dressing next season (or, if you’re like me, every season), these sandals will take top rank on your shopping wish list. But if exposing all ten toes are not your thing, especially when walking down the streets of metro cities like New York, then perhaps the round-toe ballet flats with bows may be a better fit for your wardrobe. Either way, the prevailing shoe height of next season will be a flat one.
Comfort aside, there were plenty of going out options as well. From the sequin jogger pants to the halter crop top, much of the inspiration for these embellished geometric patterns stemmed from the famed contemporary artist center Villa Noailles, particularly the Cubist garden of square beds and paved triangles. “I tried to bring one thing and its opposite together in the coolest way possible,” says Viard. “And the gardens and swimming pool of the Villa Noailles, this exceptional setting, lend themselves to that rather well.”
It certainly showed. The juxtaposition of relaxed silhouettes with ornate embellishments, an interesting usage of texture with classic designs, the absence of lining and epaulettes on the jackets — all these elements helped Viard deliver a collection that appeals to luxury shoppers today.
Scroll on to see more looks from the show.
