The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

biteexhibition Whilst she was a “complex, at times controversial figure, who transformed women’s wardrobes with her innovative ideas and pioneering approach to fabric and construction”, Gabrielle Chanel’s influence reached beyond the realm of fashion. She challenged the preconceptions of haute couture with her prac- tical, stylish garments, providing comfort, simplicity, and ease of movement. She incorporated masculinity, femininity, utility, and luxury into her clothing, jewellery, and perfume. From her millinery origins and early apparel designs to the famed suits and elegant gowns, the magic of Chanel is captured in this exhibition. One of her earlier hats from the Spring-Sum- mer 1917 collection, featuring a relaxed crown and small brim, is made of a looped braid that can be collapsed. French stage and film actress Gabrielle Dorziat wore many of the designer’s hats on and off the stage, garnering the attention of the fashion press and promoting Chanel. The First World War changed women’s fashion dramatically. Vogue noted Chanel’s new style as “an alarming tendency for dresses to come down at the top and up at the bottom.” The light summer dress in silk georgette and chiffon from the Spring-Summer 1919 collection highlighted this modern trend with its short skirt, low v-neckline and simple t-shaped silhou- ette. “The simplicity of this line vividly contrasts the embroi- dered rose petals that create an intricate motif all over the skirt.” Gabrielle’s stylish suits include the jacquard-knit wool, Galal- ith plastic and silk pongee piece in 1928 and the jacquard-knit wool jersey for Autumn-Winter 1929. American Vogue de- scribed her use of wool jerseys as “vivid in design and decided in colour - everything you feel the stressing of the horizontal line, through diamonds, checks, zigzags, and herringbones.” The three-piece suit in knit fabric with the lining in the same pattern as the blouse prefigured Chanel’s iconic tweed suits of the 1950s and ‘60s. The designer favoured supple textiles like muslin, pongee, cotton cheesecloth or crepe de Chine in her summer dresses. The blouse and skirt in silk pongee modelled on a tennis dress revealed the increasing popularity of sportswear for daywear. It portrayed a slender, straight fit and raised hemline that ap-