We’re still grieving the loss of Karl Lagerfeld so it’s hard to believe we’ve already had four collections and one mainline advertising campaign since his departure. The Chanel Fall 2019 campaign introduced Virginie Viard’s chic aesthetic to the famed French fashion house and the new ads for the brand’s Cruise 2020 collection follow suit. Models-of-the-moment Adut Akech, Anna Ewers, Fran Summers, Jing Wen, Kerolyn Soares, Kiki Willems and Vittoria Ceretti pose before a white backdrop for photographer Karim Sadli as the ladies showcase the travel-inspired collection in the campaign styled by Max Pearmain.
Less is always more, right? The campaign divided our forums. “Absolutely terrible products. I never thought I’d see the day that Chanel looked cheap, but here we are! The jackets look like they’re made of terry cloth, then they’re styled with those $2 leggings. To top it off is a belt made of leftover chains and gift wrap ribbons. What a disaster!” proclaimed GivenchyHomme.
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“Karl knew how to pull this off, but unfortunately these people don’t. You can’t have uneventful clothes and an uneventful campaign. Had they used some more dynamic poses, like Max Mara, something playful and fun, this could’ve been a fantastic campaign because it would be harder to notice the weak clothes that look like knockoffs,” aracic ranted.
Benn98 was also unimpressed. “The looks in the first shot don’t seem very far from Escada. Didn’t pick that up from the runway collection. Not a great sign for Chanel. And these shots seem far too commercial.”
But not everyone was unhappy with the outcome. “It’s not bad. It’s not offensive. But it’s not very inspiring. I seriously get a vibe that Virginie is just a palate cleanser before they appoint a new CD who will take Chanel in a new direction. Everything about her creative choices is textbook. Beautifully executed. Well-designed. But not much to desire,” reasoned TaylorBinque.
“Max Pearmain doing Chanel! I’m here for it… I think the campaign perfectly evokes the spirit of some of Karl’s best and simpler campaigns at Chanel,” testified Lola701.
“The black and white portraits are the best,” noted dfwn2n.
Check out Chanel’s latest campaign in full and join the conversation here.
