It's about the street

CHANEL PRESIDENT ON WHY INSPIRATIONAL' MANCHESTER WAS CHOSEN FOR SHOW

-  IMOGEN CLYDE-SMITH

THEY could have chosen any city in the world for their fashion spectacular but Chanel chose Manchester.

Three hours before the models took to the Métiers d’Art catwalk Bruno Pavlovsky, the brand’s president, told us why.

It started, he explains with the certainty that the show had to take place in England but not London. When Virginie Viard, the creative director of Chanel, visited the Northern Quarter in the summer months and came across Thomas Street and her mind was made up.

On the street she found an ‘energy’ and an ‘atmosphere’ that she felt had to be captured, she was inspired; and no other street would do.

Sitting in the Bay House Tavern as a rehearsal for the eagerly awaited show got underway, Mr Pavolvsky explained: “We knew what we wanted. We wanted to come to England and also we decided this time it would not be London so we had to find another city.

“In Virginie’s mind there was only one option, which we don’t like, we prefer to have several locations. She came in summertime and there was a lot of energy and people in this street and many things happening and she found there was a good atmosphere and thought it could be nice to see a show in this location.

“It’s Virginie’s choice, it’s a free choice. We are not trying to find an explanation or a justification or whatever. She felt comfortable when she saw the street, she believed that it was the best natural decor. It’s very typical of the Northern district. It’s an artistic choice and the best way to highlight the collection because the collection is about the clothes and also about the storytelling, it’s about the street.”