CULTURE CLUB

When Chanel first unveiled its Métiers d'art collection in Dakar, Senegal, in December 2022, it was an ambitious first in many ways. Chanel had already shown previous Métiers d'art collections in out-of-the-box locales like Monte Carlo, Edinburgh, Dallas and Salzburg but it was the first time the House had ever presented in the African continent.

The presentation in Senegal signalled its artistic influence as a bonafide cultural capital, in fields ranging from fashion to cinema to dance to contemporary art. By inviting a slew of celebrity guests including Naomi Campbell and Pharrell Williams, and highlighting Senegalese culture and arts with performances by rapper Nix and singer Obree Daman, and having Senegalese models walk the show, Chanel was shining a spotlight not just on this collection, but also on the country.

"It was very important for us to do something in Dakar. It was the right moment and we found such a unique energy there and we have been able to put this energy into the collection. In Dakar, they know everything about embroidery, threads and weaving, even before us in Paris," says Bruno Pavlovsky, the president of Chanel SAS. As a continuation of the partnerhsip between the two, Chanel also staged a three-month long exhibition in Dakar, "Sur le fil: de Dakar à Paris", featuring artists from Senegal, South Africa, France and Bolivia. The show was brought to Galerie du 19M in Paris in May this year, expanding the cross-cultural exchange.

To say fashion has gone global today is an understatement. And it's not just fast fashion that has its tentacles all around the world. Haute couture as well as Chanel's craftsmanship-focussed Métiers d'art collection have an increasingly global focus.