CHANEL MEETS DAKAR
Chanel hails Senegal in its 2022/23 Métiers d’Art collection, honoring craftsmanship and cultural exchange
The choice of Dakar to host Chanel’s 2023 Métiers d’Art collection stems from connections formed three years ago with friends of the House−individuals living in the city, pursuing artistic projects, or simply drawn to its creative energy. For Chanel, Dakar represents a vital artistic capital on the international stage, with dynamic contributions across fashion, cinema, dance, literature, contemporary art, and music−all areas closely aligned with the House’s interests. Chanel presents its collection− the annual celebration of the house’s artisanal “savoir-faire” in Senegal, the first sub-Saharan country to host a Métiers d’Art show, as more than a location choice−it is an invitation to engage with the city and its vibrant cultural landscape.
On December 6 in Dakar, Chanel transformed the heart of the former Palais de Justice into a runway, becoming the first European luxury brand to stage a fashion show on the African continent. The venue itself carries artistic significance, serving as a key site for the Senegalese capital’s art Biennale. With a guest list of 800, the Métiers d’Art event assumed a distinct energy, shaped by context as much as couture. The legacy of French colonialism in Senegal complicates any reading of Chanel’s presence, raising questions about cultural exchange and power. Yet, framed as part of a three-day festival celebrating local talent across music, film, and art−and coupled with Chanel’s commitment to supporting and developing opportunities for local craftspeople−the Métiers d’Art runway became a site for meaningful dialogue and cultural synergy.
Malick Bodian’s lens captured the collection’s opening vision, with models Alaato Jazyper and Loli Bahia posed along the River Seine in Paris. The photographs offered a first insight into Virginie Viard’s designs and framed the collection’s collaborative energy, setting the stage for its dialogue between Parisian streets and Dakar’s dynamic cultural landscape.
The project was accompanied by a documentary series directed by renowned filmmaker Ladj Ly, who collaborated with students from the Kourtrajmé film school to capture the spirit of the collection. “This initiative was conceived as a bridge between our schools in Montfermeil and Dakar,” Ly explains, referring to the institutions he founded in France and Senegal, which provide free training in the film industry. “Kourtrajmé’s guiding principle has always been total creative freedom. We shared the project’s vision with the students and encouraged them to contribute their own artistic perspectives, all while staying true to the world of Chanel.”
“Collections are all very well, but I need to be moved. It has to be alive, it has to connect to other disciplines,” said the maison's Artistic Director Virginie Viard, who invited many local creatives to the show.
The central question, of course, is how to grapple with France’s colonial legacy in Senegal−and the fact that Chanel has no established stores, business, or historical ties on the continent. Given the fashion industry’s recent missteps around diversity, the event could have carried tricky optics, yet the show appears to have navigated these complexities with care. “This Chanel moment is not a one-off or an opportunistic attempt to mine Africa’s rich aesthetic capital for Western fashion,” noted curator Oumy Diaw, who attended the show, speaking to the New York Times.
All images courtesy of CHANEL.
Chanel hails Senegal in its 2022/23 Métiers d’Art collection, honoring craftsmanship and cultural exchange
The choice of Dakar to host Chanel’s 2023 Métiers d’Art collection stems from connections formed three years ago with friends of the House−individuals living in the city, pursuing artistic projects, or simply drawn to its creative energy. For Chanel, Dakar represents a vital artistic capital on the international stage, with dynamic contributions across fashion, cinema, dance, literature, contemporary art, and music−all areas closely aligned with the House’s interests. Chanel presents its collection− the annual celebration of the house’s artisanal “savoir-faire” in Senegal, the first sub-Saharan country to host a Métiers d’Art show, as more than a location choice−it is an invitation to engage with the city and its vibrant cultural landscape.
On December 6 in Dakar, Chanel transformed the heart of the former Palais de Justice into a runway, becoming the first European luxury brand to stage a fashion show on the African continent. The venue itself carries artistic significance, serving as a key site for the Senegalese capital’s art Biennale. With a guest list of 800, the Métiers d’Art event assumed a distinct energy, shaped by context as much as couture. The legacy of French colonialism in Senegal complicates any reading of Chanel’s presence, raising questions about cultural exchange and power. Yet, framed as part of a three-day festival celebrating local talent across music, film, and art−and coupled with Chanel’s commitment to supporting and developing opportunities for local craftspeople−the Métiers d’Art runway became a site for meaningful dialogue and cultural synergy.
Malick Bodian’s lens captured the collection’s opening vision, with models Alaato Jazyper and Loli Bahia posed along the River Seine in Paris. The photographs offered a first insight into Virginie Viard’s designs and framed the collection’s collaborative energy, setting the stage for its dialogue between Parisian streets and Dakar’s dynamic cultural landscape.
The project was accompanied by a documentary series directed by renowned filmmaker Ladj Ly, who collaborated with students from the Kourtrajmé film school to capture the spirit of the collection. “This initiative was conceived as a bridge between our schools in Montfermeil and Dakar,” Ly explains, referring to the institutions he founded in France and Senegal, which provide free training in the film industry. “Kourtrajmé’s guiding principle has always been total creative freedom. We shared the project’s vision with the students and encouraged them to contribute their own artistic perspectives, all while staying true to the world of Chanel.”
“Collections are all very well, but I need to be moved. It has to be alive, it has to connect to other disciplines,” said the maison's Artistic Director Virginie Viard, who invited many local creatives to the show.
The central question, of course, is how to grapple with France’s colonial legacy in Senegal−and the fact that Chanel has no established stores, business, or historical ties on the continent. Given the fashion industry’s recent missteps around diversity, the event could have carried tricky optics, yet the show appears to have navigated these complexities with care. “This Chanel moment is not a one-off or an opportunistic attempt to mine Africa’s rich aesthetic capital for Western fashion,” noted curator Oumy Diaw, who attended the show, speaking to the New York Times.
All images courtesy of CHANEL.