Fashionable ladies of the lake

Embracing heritage

Since 2002, the annual Chanel Metiers d’art collection celebrates the virtuoso hands of fashion and the craft heritage and its influence around world. Presented in cities that inspire the house, from New York to Dakar, from Manchester in 2023 to Hangzhou this year, the collections are a dialogue between the Chanel Creation Studio, the ready-to-wear ateliers and the Maisons d’art at le19M. This is where the brand brings together more than 700 artisans specializing in embroidery, goldsmith, jewelry, feather-work, hats and shoe making.

This summer, artisans from several le19M workshops visited Hangzhou for inspiration and worked with local artisans. One of them was Christelle Kocher, artistic director of Lemarie, the workshop founded in 1880 which has hand-assembled Chanel’s emblematic camellia petal by petal since the 1960s.

“From Paris to Hangzhou, it’s about merging Chanel’s heritage with the essence of the host city. For this collection, we started with the coromandel screens. Its artistry with intricate depictions of birds, flowers and nature immediately captivated me. We explored motifs, materials, and techniques that reflect both Chanel’s codes and the rich cultural identity of the region. It’s a blend of research, collaboration with artisans, and a modern reinterpretation of tradition,” says Kocher.

“I once spent two months with artisans from the Dong and Miao ethnic groups in Southwest China’s Yunnan province in 2002, immersing myself in their unique craftsmanship and traditions. Hangzhou feels like a continuation of that journey, but with its own distinct blend of history and modernity.

“Seeing how Hangzhou embraces its heritage while remaining innovative reminded me of the importance of preserving artisan techniques. It’s not just about looking back but about re-imagining these crafts for contemporary clients. The city’s harmony between nature and urban life also inspired me to think more holistically about design — how clothing, like art, can transport and transform us.”

Kocher’s Chinese colleague Max Luo Zijun demonstrated the craftsmanship and showed his work in a jumpsuit in the showroom. The 31-year-old Chengdu-born designer joined Lemarie in 2016 after he graduated from Central Saint Martins in London. He had engaged in Chanel Metiers d’art collections.

“It’s happy to join this collection for Hangzhou. It’s relatively easier when the inspiration is from the home culture, blending with Chinese aesthetic,” says Luo.

Choosing Hangzhou is not only because of the coromandel with West Lake, but also because the city is well-known for its silk. Chanel regarded this precious fabric as a treasure. Over the past 80 years, the raw materials used by the brand to make silk fabrics have almost all come from China.