In China‘s tech capital of Shenzhen, Chanel reprised its cruise 2024 present as a monumental spectacle, which initially debuted in Los Angeles final Might.
“Shenzhen is the following metropolis of the world, a miracle metropolis,” mentioned Bruno Pavlovsky, president of style and president of Chanel SAS. “Virginie [Viard] may have had the identical inspiration for the gathering considering of Shenzhen,” enthused Pavlovsky of the subtropical hub, which is at the moment the third richest metropolis in China, in keeping with the Hurun Analysis Institute.
On Thursday evening, VIP purchasers, celebrities, editors, in addition to a band of Chanel executives, attended the duplicate present, which was offered twice to accommodate the two,300-strong crowd on the metropolis’s “Spring Cocoon” Stadium.
Chanel’s reprised present at Shenzhen’s “Spring Cocoon” Stadium.
Celebrities and model ambassadors, together with Marion Cotillard, Whitney Peak, Zhou Xun, Wang Yibo, Jing Boran, Liu Wen, and Zhang Zifeng attended the occasion, cheering within the crowd with enthusiasm.
For Cotillard, the “trendy spirit” of Shenzhen struck a chord. “I cherished the structure. I cherished the combination of various energies,” mentioned Cotillard, who visited town’s Museum of Modern Artwork and Planning Exhibition and bought a style of Chinese language drugs therapy throughout her brief go to.
For Chinese language actress Zhou Xun, the runway present additionally revealed a fantasy aspect of town. “The complete set was nostalgic but in addition rooted in actuality. I nearly couldn’t work out the place I used to be.”
Chinese language actor Jing Boran shared Zhou’s sentiment. “Rising up within the ‘90s, I noticed fragments of my childhood on the present, particularly the rollerblading and the gymnastic parts,” mentioned Jing.
“The present proves how properly Virginie picked out city parts by the style eye,” mentioned Chinese language mannequin Liu Wen. “Existence in Shenzhen and Los Angeles are each filled with juxtapositions. You’re in exercise gear one minute, then at a elaborate occasion the following.”
After the present, the runway was reworked into an evening market the place company nibbled on native dishes, equivalent to dim sum, stir-fried noodles and gua bao, whereas having fun with a high-energy efficiency by Nile Rodgers and Stylish.
Nile Rodgers and Stylish
Mathieu Bonnin
In keeping with Pavlovsky, a “large and highly effective” occasion like this isn’t solely an efficient approach to have interaction with the native buyer base but in addition an opportunity to create a 360 expertise across the model.
Simply as fascinating because the mise-en-scene on the runway, Chanel launched a three-day brief movie screening and talks at Shenzhen Bay MixC’s cinema, which was coproduced with Nowness China.
Titled “China Wave,” the showcase opened on Wednesday with “All Tomorrow’s Events,” a brief that echoed the runway presentation’s nostalgic bent and featured Chanel model ambassadors Zhou Xun and Wang Yibo. Directed by rising auteur Zhang Dalei, the movie was shortlisted for the 2023 Berlinale Shorts.
Visitors, together with Audrey Diwan and Zhou Xun, on the “China Wave” brief movie screening.
Mathieu Bonnin
“Cinema is an effective approach to illustrate the creation at Chanel, which has a powerful universality,” mentioned Pavlovsky. “However it may very well be greater than cinema. It may very well be about dance, music, and finally about creation.”
Sharing insights on Chanel’s VIP-focused technique, Pavlovsky mentioned the plan is to supply “an unique and personal expertise the place prospects can higher uncover the overall silhouette of the ready-to-wear collections.”
This yr, the model rapidly rolled out three Chanel Les Salons Privés, or personal salons, in key China markets, one among which bowed on the model’s Shenzhen Bay MixC shopping center final month. By nurturing the native VIP consumer market, Chanel was in a position to file double-digit features within the mainland China market in 2022.
“However it’s not just for VIPs. It may be any buyer of the boutique,” clarified Pavlovsky of the appointment-only retail format.
“Very often, the Salon Privés aren’t related to our boutiques, however it’s an enlargement of the boutique,” Pavlovsky added.
For Pavlovsky, the connection between shops and prospects can run the gamut from “type of intimate” to “very fast.” “If I want a pair of sneakers, I don’t have to go to Salons Privés for that,” Pavlovsky defined. “So how we handle and monitor this dynamic relationship, I feel it’s fairly vital.”
When requested in regards to the controversial subject of whether or not Shenzhen will overtake Hong Kong’s place as the following Hong Kong, Pavlovsky’s private view is that “to be in Shenzhen, Macao, Hong Kong, the expertise is similar, the Nice Bay Space could be very dynamic.”
With a boutique slated to be open within the second-tier metropolis of Zhengzhou later this yr, Pavlovsky defined that the placement alternative displays the corporate’s unwavering and regular strategy to retail. “We’ll broaden, however at our tempo, which implies not too quick,” mentioned Pavlovsky.
Commenting on the general financial local weather, which signifies a dismal future forward, Pavlovsky mentioned Chanel must “play with the financial scenario.”
“If we make sure that we’ve got the perfect for our prospects, I don’t see any motive why Chanel couldn’t proceed the expansion. Maybe decrease development within the close to future, however I’m proud of that,” mentioned Pavlovsky.
