Video No. 6041. English Language Pal VHS.
An Exploration of Art on Film.
A Film by Eila Hershon and Roberto Guerra.
The French fashion-house of Chanel is one of the great names in the history of fashion. Founded by Gabrielle ("Coco") Chanel, it has defined the classic look of successive generations, from the new sportswear chic of the 1920s to the perennial "Chanel suit", a lasting success in its many variations since the 1960s.
Under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld since 1983, Chanel designs continue at the leading edge of fashion, and it is Lagerfeld himself who links the themes of this film examining the nature of the Chanel phenomenon, and the life and times of "Coco" Chanel herself. "Fashion," said Chanel, "is always a reflection of a period"; drawing on a collage of fashion images and archive footage, including a late interview with Chanel herself, this film explores the relationship between history and the fugitive changes in fashion.
Chanel began her career as a dressmaker (she never drew her designs) during the last years of the "belle epoque", and from the first her unerring sense of the moment and inimitable personal style attracted a glittering clientele. The "Chanel myth" was born, thriving on both her success as a "couturiere" and her legendary love-affairs. By the late 1930s Chanel had become almost a national institution, employing thousands of staff.
After World War II and in self-imposed exile, Chanel's comeback in the 1950s testified to her powers of creative survival. "Fashion passes. Style remains." claimed Chanel, and this film casts a fascinating light on the mystique of the immortal "Chanel style".
