Later tonight famed French fashion house Chanel is set to descend on the streets of Manchester, presenting its 2023/24 Métiers d'art collection.
You best believe we’ve set our alarms to watch the live stream, but ahead of the history-making showcase we can’t help but have a few questions.
If you’re a Chanel fan then let me be the first to school you on the who, what, why and where of tonight's fashion foray in the nation's northwest.
Who is attending Chanel's Manchester show?
Last night Chanel held a pre-show party at one of the city's most notable destinations, the Salford Lads Club. We know for a fact that last night's guests which included famed names such as Kristen Stewart, Jenna Coleman and John Cooper Clarke will be in attendance. However, for those still yet to arrive, we can only assume that the 600-person guest list will include a star-studded range of fashion icons, celebrities and socialites.
We can assume that Chanel’s recently appointed brand ambassador Timothee Chalamet will be in attendance, as well as existing friends and family of the house Lily-Rose Depp, Margot Robbie, Penélope Cruz, Pharrell Williams and Soo Joo Park. Victoria and David Beckham are also rumoured to be in attendance as they are former Mancunian residents.
What is the Chanel Manchester show about?
Inspired by the artists, friends, cities and cultures that connect the house together, the 2023/24 Métiers d'art collection is set to pay homage to all those who have made the house what it is today, particularly highlighting Manchester’s reputable music, literature, architecture and sport scene which has influenced the fashion house for decades.
Aside from the runway show taking place at 6 pm tonight, Chanel creative director Virginie Viard has also commissioned a short film created by house ambassador Sofia Coppola which showcases both historic images of Gabrielle Chanel as well as a series of open-cast models sporting the much anticipated new collection. The film will be available to watch tomorrow at 9 am on the Chanel website.
© ChanelWhere is the Chanel Manchester show?
Chanel has transformed Thomas Street in the city's Northern Quarter, erecting a giant glass-roofed structure set to hold 600 guests. Thomas street is known by locals as a bustling grungy hub of culture with streets lined with boutiques, bars, tattoo shops.
Why is the Chanel show in Manchester?
Chanel is known for having an eternal bond with Britain, often seeking inspiration from historic photos of Gabrielle Chanel whilst she travelled around the country. Manchester in particular has a rich textile history, once the international cotton capital of the world and coined globally as ‘Cottonopolis,’ the city provided cotton textiles to fashion houses like Chanel for decades.
Aside from the textile history, Chanel has said that Manchester is “one of the most effervescent cities of pop culture and an avant-garde one, whose bands, spanning all genres, have changed the history of music." This leads us to imagine that this year's collection will reflect exactly that.
