Having a moment on Gabrielle Chanel's famous couch.
The apartment was filled with so many antiques and clever interior design. We left feeling very inspired.
There were many lions around the apartment, Gabrielle Chanel's favourite animal.
A glimpse at Chanel's latest high jewellery collection called "Flying Cloud".
Chanel's famous flagship on 31 rue Cambon.
Always love starting my day with a cup of tea, even more so on a show day.
A quick snap of the purse and tweed jacket I wore to the Chanel Fall Couture show, both from the latest "Paris Cosmopolite" Metiers d'Art collection.
Can't forget my Mademoiselle J12!
Can you believe Chanel actually recreated the Eiffel Tower inside the Grand Palais?
My seat at the show. The sand and sun almost makes you forget that we weren't at the Champ de Mars where the real Eiffel Tower is located.
One of my favourite looks from the show.
Our view just before heading to the basement of Palais de Tokyo for the launch party of the new Gabrielle fragrance.
A snapshot from a short film that played among the Gabrielle exhibits.
An artistic reimagining of the Gabrielle's bottle.
Did you know that the Gabrielle features four white flowers? Here's one of them.
Finally, the new fragrance waits for us at the last room, supersized so we didn't miss any detail.
We then smelled it for the very first time.
The Gabrielle's bottle is so slim and precise. Matches the interiors of our hotel room, too.
The next day, we visited one of Chanel's offices in the suburbs of Paris to learn more about the brand's history.
Keeping track of the time with the Mademoiselle J12. We also spotted beautiful hydrangea bushes outside the office and took many pictures.
This is the original door that led to Gabrielle Chanel's private work room at 31 rue Cambon. She touched that doorknob many times, so naturally we had to touch it, too.
A mini exhibition of Chanel artefacts and archived pieces at the office. I love that green jacket on the wall.
Gabrielle Chanel's original signature on a notebook, during the time when she still called herself "Gabrielle".
Also, her signature on an original photograph of her in her youth, but this time, signed as "Coco".
An original bottle of Bleu de Chanel from the 1940s.
Marilyn Monroe was one of Chanel No.5's most famous fans. Here's an original receipt for an order with Monroe's signature on it.
An original look once worn by Linda Evangelista.
Look familiar? This is a mock-up of Chanel's "Shopping Centre" collection from 2014. Every mock-up from every collection is kept in the archives.
What a Chanel clothing tag looked like in the early days, back before "Gabrielle" was taken out of the name.
Did you know Chanel started making beauty products a long time ago? Here's a box of soap bars for men. It's interesting how the black and white packaging is still around today.
An original bottle and packaging of Chanel No.5 before its redesign in 1924 to the bottle we recognise today.
There were lipsticks, too, sealed in little pouches marked with the iconic double C.
Even the washrooms at the office had a touch of Chanel. Look at that bucket! Signing off on an enriching experience with Chanel with a peace sign.
Follow Me To Paris: How Our Couture Week With Chanel Went Down
From a front row view of the fall couture collection to the launch party of the new "Gabrielle" fragrance to an exclusive visit to the archive museum – it was nothing short of inspiring.
| July 13, 2017We will always have Paris, indeed. Barely a month after my trip to the City of Lights for Chanel’s Cruise show, I found myself back there again, this time for my first ever Couture Week experience. To say that I was excited didn’t even cut it. It was incredible being able to witness a Chanel couture collection unveil for the first time and be close enough to see every single embroidery, even more so under that magnificent recreation of the Eiffel Tower.
But more than just the couture show, my week with Chanel was a full-rounded experience. Almost like a Chanel excursion. We got to see the “Flying Cloud” collection from Chanel High Jewellery. We also visited Gabrielle Chanel’s original apartment on 31 rue Cambon for the first time – and even sat on the couch that she used to lounge on. (This is going to be in an upcoming “Room Diaries”. Yes, we’re finally bringing the series back, so stay tuned.)
Just as exciting as the couture show was the launch of the brand new Gabrielle fragrance, Chanel’s first since Chance 15 years ago. (We’ll be going more in-depth with Gabrielle when it launches in a couple of months, so look out for that as well.) At the Palais de Tokyo, we were introduced to the inspirations behind the sleek bottle and the four key notes behind the fragrance: ylang ylang, tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom.
Our adventure didn’t end there. Chanel excursion, remember? We were given special access to Chanel’s archives in Pantin, where we saw everything from original fragrance bottles to pictures and signatures by Gabrielle Chanel’s famous friends and clients, and of course, herself. Our supersized Chanel trip ended with a quick retreat at the gorgeous Ritz Paris spa with Chanel’s Grand Soin Treatment. Again, we’re not being mysterious on purpose, but do keep an eye out for our blow-by-blow of the experience. It’s not every day you get to visit a Chanel spa. (Read about our Chanel facial experience in Singapore’s Seviin at Tangs here.)
In all, an incredible experience from start to finish. See our snaps and favourite moments from the week in the visual diary above.
What To Read Next: Where The Fashion Crowd Eats In Paris, Chanel’s Fall Couture Was Pure Parisian With A Kick and 3 Cities, 2 Weeks, 1 Mademoiselle J12 | Photos: YOYOKULALA.com
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