A revered icon in the Chanel universe, the camellia is one of the French luxury house’s most enduring and recognisable symbols. The precious flower first appeared on Mademoiselle Chanel’s early designs after she pinned one of the blooms on a dress in 1923, and it quickly became the style icon’s signature motif. As a celebrated house code, it has been reinterpreted season after season, making it an enduring part of the brand’s creative legacy.
An arresting monochrome camellia print dress. Photo: Handout
For the autumn/winter 2023 collection, the camellia takes the spotlight once again, this time at the hands of creative director Virginie Viard. The motif is reimagined in a fresh and contemporary way in a collection that celebrates freedom and harmony. Viard’s use of dusty, faded colours and crafted pieces adds a sense of charm, along with references to the heady decades of the 1960s and 70s.

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Mademoiselle’s favourite flower appears in full bloom on modern separates including embossed denim Bermuda shorts and an embroidered satin jacket that is modern and versatile. A tweed jacket – a Chanel signature – is dotted with 3D camellias that showcase the maison’s craftsmanship.

Chanel 22 bag in monochrome printed leather and metal. Photo: Handout
Chanel bag in black and white tweed with a camellia clasp. Photo: Handout

The camellia takes on different personalities through the collection, highlighting strength as well as delicateness – qualities that made it so precious to Gabrielle Chanel. When printed on a long monochrome dress it becomes striking and modern. Another look: a red, black and white dress made from crêpe de Chine and trimmed with white flounces, evokes a sense of sophistication and nostalgia.

In true Chanel style, many of the collection’s silhouettes adopt and adapt versatile elements of menswear, adding an androgynous twist to this powerful homage to the flower.

Camellias everywhere from the collar down to the boots. Photo: Handout

Highlights include a cool and elegant shorts suit and a short tweed chequered jacket which is paired with a long silk asymmetric skirt to create a look that speaks to the now. Throughout Viard pays tribute to Parisian style, a look that has become synonymous with Chanel.

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To bring the collection to life, the maison once again turned to formative collaborators and photographers Inez & Vinoodh. Their campaign stars striking model Loli Bahia, described by the photographers as “eccentric, daring, androgynous … a mix of delicacy and quiet strength” – much like the camellia itself. The resulting images are captivating, featuring Bahia in motion, adding her own palpable energy. Many images are also shot in black and white to convey the camellia’s timeless beauty and legacy as the maison’s eternal icon.