The CHANEL Spring-Summer 2022 Haute Couture collection designed by Virginie Viard expresses an ethereal lightness as well as a Viard’s new take on the summer tweed. Bright, joyful silhouettes float amidst geometric structures in a graphic setting created by Xavier Veilhan. Virginie Viard has, according to WWD, been open about her preference for intimate decors, whereas her predecessor, the late Karl Lagerfeld, delighted in building bombastic backdrops incorporating an iceberg, a waterfall or even a space rocket. Veilhan’s geometric design, inspired by Constructivist art, was a happy compromise: a mellow ambience with subdued lighting and recyclable materials left in their natural, unvarnished state. A decor evoking equestrian curves and constructive lines contrasts with airy silhouettes, delicate embroideries and precious flowers. The collection is also a nod to Viards predecessor Karl Lagerfeld and his passion for 1920s art and design. The era’s geometric patterns fed into this breezy collection, spun around vaporous chiffon gowns, feathered slipdresses and fringed dancer’s skirts.
