IMAGES: BAGAHOLICBOY

If you’ve been following my antics on Instagram the last couple of days, you’ll know the following: I’m currently in Seoul where I attended the preview of Mademoiselle Privé, an exhibition that gives you an up-close and personal view of Chanel’s origins and the French luxury house’s many sources of inspiration. The second chapter of this exhibition (the first Mademoiselle Privé was held in London in 2015), it will run from 23 June to 19 July 2017 at D Museum. Chanel fans, if you’re heading to Seoul anytime soon, this is THE place you want to go to get an even better understanding of the brand you love.

So what can you expect from this exhibition? Lots. From the moment you step into the museum, you are greeted by a floor-to-ceiling installation of Gabrielle Chanel’s Coromandel lacquered screens’ patterns that span over the staircase as you walk down towards the next exhibit. There’s a room devoted to Gabrielle Chanel’s first boutique that originally just sold hats, there’s another room featuring large totem sculptures that reference Chanel’s codes and symbols –lucky charms, patterns, specific colours, basically all that was dear to Coco Chanel now reinterpreted by Karl Lagerfeld.

There’s a room dedicated to the iconic fragrance, N°5. There’s a fabric maze made up of everything used at Chanel’s ateliers (think large swaths of lace, silk chiffon and tweed hung from ceiling to floor) that you have to make your way through.

On the second floor it gets even better. Going through or in this case, going past Coco Chanel’s Mademoiselle Privé studio door, you are greeted by 17 actresses, models and friends of the house, wearing Haute Couture and adorned with high jewellery from the Bijoux de Diamants collection. Also my favourite space in the whole exhibition, this is Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel at his best, bringing together large-scale portraits printed on paper-thin sheets that flutter up and down as exhibit constantly moves.

There’s a giant cage at the back of the hall featuring the above-mentioned jewellery pieces, and there’s a ‘photo-booth’ featuring black and whites of all your favourites (if you are a fan of G-Dragon, Irene Kim and Soo Joo Park, this is where you head straight into).

Another Chanel experience that should not be missed, it’s also free admission to all; you just have to download the Mademoiselle Privé app via App Store to book your tickets. There are also workshops scheduled, including one for Lesage (embroiderer), another for Lemarié (feather and flower maker), one for high jewellery and N°5 workshops highlighting the craftsmanship and savoir-faire of Chanel. In other words, don’t miss out!

Images: Bagaholicboy