Les Années Folles de Coco Chanel
Auteur(s) : Célia Bernasconi (dir.)
Exhibition at the New National Museum of Monaco - Villa Paloma, 19 June – 5 October 2025
In Deauville, Biarritz, Monte Carlo and Cannes, Coco Chanel (1883–1971) introduced a radically new style for modern women that was both elegant and relaxed. She offered women around the world a wardrobe suited to outdoor leisure activities, responding to the rise in popularity of sports such as golf, tennis and swimming. After the international success of the little black dress, presented in 1926 as Chanel's ‘Ford’ by Vogue magazine, the couturier went on to create a series of sumptuous designs for a clientele in search of originality.
This exhibition catalogue presents a richly illustrated journey through the designer's formative years on the French Riviera in the 1920s. It explores her first boutiques, her revolutionary jersey designs and her friendships with artists such as Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the Ballets Russes and the Slavic avant-garde, as well as Chanel's architectural retreat, Villa La Pausa, near Monaco.
