A Deep Dive into Chanel’s Creative Universe: The Debut of Arts & Culture Magazine

Chanel has inaugurated a new stage in its cultural strategy with the launch of Arts & Culture magazine , a publication that highlights the brand’s collaborations with artists and institutions over the past five years.The presentation of the first volume, christened Vol. 1, was organized at the Foreign Exchange News space in Bayswater, London, as part of Chanel’s centenary celebrations in the UK.

Promoted by the Chanel Cultural Fund under the direction of Yana Peel, president of art, culture and heritage of the French company, the magazine aims to be a reflection of the creative links that Chanel has woven in different continents. The issue will be distributed in twenty bookstores and key cultural outlets in cities such as New York, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City and Berlin.

The publication, published exclusively in English, has been conceived as an editorial collector’s item, with 250 pages printed on different types of paper, a careful visual proposal and the participation of various creatives and collaborators. The edition has been produced by a specialized editorial network, with names such as Foreign Exchange News, Tenderbooks, Rococo News & Magazines and Reference Point in London, and RIPE Mags in Glasgow.

Chanel celebrates its centenary in the UK with the magazine ‘Arts & Culture’

Arts & Culture ‘s content combines historical archives, contemporary photography and visual essays. The cover features a 1921 bust of Gabrielle Chanel by Jacques Lipchitz, who appears wearing metallic sunglasses from the fall 2002 runway show and was photographed by Roe Ethridge.

The magazine launch coincides with the commemoration of Chanel’s 100th anniversary in the UK. Inside, symbolic images are included such as a collage of lion prints, a reference to Chanel’s zodiac sign, or a shell-shaped tray containing pearls and a bottle of Chanel number 5.

The luxury company closed the previous fiscal year with the first decline in sales since the pandemic, contracting its turnover by 4.3%, to $18.7 billion. Meanwhile, operating income plummeted 30% to $4.5 billion. On the design front, following the departure of Virginie Viard, the challenge will be the firm’s new creative director, Matthieu Blazy, who will present his first collection next fall.