Chanel takes over Manchester for elusive Métiers d’art fashion show

Manchester is undergoing a drastic Chanel makeover ahead of their highly elusive fashion show set to take place on 7 December.

The city's famed Thomas Street will play host to the multimillion-pound Métiers d'Art 2023/2024 catwalk with stars expected to be in attendance. The show is rumoured to last between 30 minutes to an hour.

Details around the exclusive event have remained sparse after local businesses and those involved in the production were said to have signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Metal structures, construction work and boxes labelled 'Chanel Manchester' have taken over the Northern Quarter since 17 November, with the area expected to return to a local hotspot on 15 December.

Becca Monaghan/Indy100

A source told Indy100 that security will remain tight before and during the event, and confirmed it will not be open to members of the public.

Giant Chanel fragrance ads featuring Timothée Chalamet have since cropped up across the vicinity, adding further excitement and speculation across the city.

The local Selfridges in Exchange Square has also seemingly jumped on the Chanel buzz, with windows lined with the prestigious French fashion house and a newly erected Christmas tree dedicated to the brand.

Becca Monaghan/Indy100

Manchester will follow in the footsteps of New York, Tokyo, Strasbourg, Rome and Shanghai.

The event is held annually outside of the traditional schedule. It aims to showcase the talent and craftsmanship of the Chanel workers based in Chanel's Métiers d'art Paris headquarters. Manchester marks Chanel's first show in the UK since Karl Lagerfeld's Amy Winehouse-inspired 'Paris-Londres' collection in 2009.

Becca Monaghan/Indy100

"Every year since 2002, Chanel has been the only house to create a collection dedicated to celebrating the savoir-faire of the Métiers d'art and their central importance to fashion, today and tomorrow," Chanel wrote earlier this year.

"Presented in cities and places that inspire the house, from Tokyo to New York, via Dakar last year, this collection bears witness to the historic commitment of Chanel to this exceptional artisanal heritage and its influence around the world," the house added.

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