Chanel Reinforces Craft Narrative with Depp Campaign

- The Chanel 22 bag was designed by Virginie Viard and debuted at the Spring-Summer 2022 ready-to-wear show. Its name references both its creation year and the 1922 launch of Chanel's second fragrance, N°22. - The campaign featuring Lily-Rose Depp was shot by the photography duo Inez & Vinoodh, with styling by Heidi Bivens, known for her work on *Euphoria*. The creative concept drew inspiration from classic Hollywood, specifically actress Veronica Lake, and also featured actresses Whitney Peak and Margaret Qualley in separate segments. - The focus on craftsmanship is a core part of Chanel's long-term strategy, formalized by the annual Métiers d’Art collection, which was initiated by Karl Lagerfeld in 2002. This collection is designed to showcase the skills of the specialized ateliers Chanel began acquiring in 1984, such as Lesage for embroidery and tweed, and Lemarié for feather and flower work. - Claire Shaeffer’s "Behind the Seams" is a detailed digital book on CD-ROM that documents Chanel's couture construction techniques. After being denied direct access to the couture workrooms, Shaeffer amassed her own collection of Chanel pieces to study and reveal the house's signature methods, like its specific buttonholes and inner workings. - This campaign launched under former creative director Virginie Viard, who departed the house in June 2024. While her tenure saw significant sales growth, with the fashion business multiplying by 2.2, her collections faced criticism from industry insiders for lacking the innovation of her predecessor, Karl Lagerfeld. - The brand has entered a new era under creative director Matthieu Blazy, whose first Métiers d'Art show was held in the New York City subway. Chanel's president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, has framed this transition as "Act Three" for the house, following the eras of Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld, referring to Viard's five-year term as an "intermission."