Chanel Fashion President Bruno Pavlovsky on Shanghai exhibition and the Maison’s heritage

Chanel will be hosting three major events in China in the space of just five months. The “Fashion Manifesto | Gabrielle Chanel” exhibition opened at the Power Station of Art (PSA) in Shanghai on July 12, while the debut of its Metiers d’Art 2024/2025 collection in Hangzhou is scheduled in December and its 2024/2025 cruise show will take place in Hong Kong in November. The frequency and intensity of Chanel’s activities in the country further underscore its focus and ambition for the Chinese market. 

On the occasion of the exhibition opening, FashionNetwork.cn spoke with Mr. Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel Fashion President, about Chanel’s heritage and how the legendary luxury fashion house has navigated through a century of changes.

The “Fashion Manifesto | Gabrielle Chanel” exhibition is a rare encounter that transcends time and space. With approximately 270 carefully selected exhibits, the exhibition is divided into two chapters, showcasing Mademoiselle Chanel’s creations from the 1910s to the 1930s, and her works after re-entering the fashion world from 1954 to 1971. As an extension, each theme of the exhibition is complete with portraits of Gabrielle Chanel herself from different periods. At every turn, visitors can find explanatory materials gradually that unravel Chanel’s personal fashion manifesto.

The PSA itself is an imposing architectural marvel. Curators Miren Arzalluz and Véronique Belloir meticulously arranged the exhibits, taking full advantage of the venue’s features, while the exhibition design was crafted by the architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro. As visitors step into the exhibition space, they are immediately immersed in an atmosphere of ambiguity and mystery.

Ascending the staircase, they are greeted by a giant image of Gabrielle Chanel herself—dressed in a classic black and white suit, standing atop the famous mirrored staircase at 31 Rue Cambon. This scene, which transcends a century, sets the stage for the cultural journey of the “Fashion Manifesto | Gabrielle Chanel.”

A strategy based on brand culture

“Chanel never changed her style, and that was precisely her strength.” — This comment from the April 1921 French edition of Vogue has endured for 103 years.

Over the past century, Chanel has certainly not remained static. However, whether you visit the Fashion Manifesto exhibition in Shanghai or step into any Chanel boutique, this century-old brand feels remarkably familiar from head to toe, be it the products, appearance, logo or overall atmosphere.

While most brands chase after traffic to drive business, Chanel has built its own cultural ecosystem. It does not need to define a target customer profile. Despite the diverse cultural contexts across the many countries around the world, Mademoiselle Chanel’s legendary story and cultural ecosystem transcend national boundaries and language barriers.

Mademoiselle Chanel’s revolutionary ideas on feminine beauty created a series of classic iconic products. In this exhibition, the products themselves embody her spirit at various stages of her life, collectively representing the extension and growth of the Chanel brand spirit over different periods. It can be said that Mademoiselle Chanel’s spirit is the brand’s biggest asset. For over a century, the brand’s strategy has ensured that its marketing practices remain highly consistent. Regardless of who makes the decisions, the core spirit of the brand has been upheld, never swayed by trends or criticism. 

Bruno Pavlovsky shared with us: “I believe that in today’s world, it is very important to discuss the same topic from different angles, to tell the same story in various ways. This is also the creativity that Chanel has consistently practiced for a long time. Each city will have its own unique version—you see one in Shanghai and another in London—bringing new vitality and perspectives to creativity.”

The “Fashion Manifesto | Gabrielle Chanel” exhibition collaborates with local museums in different cities, allowing each city to express its unique localization.

“Everything Chanel does for beauty is for everyone. Each customer will have their own interpretation of the brand. You take what you want, depending on your background and culture. Our intention is not to target any specific group; everything we do is for everyone.” said Pavlovsky.

What are brand assets? They are not what the brand thinks should be associated with the brand, but what consumers naturally associate with it. Chanel, with its century-old brand culture, has accumulated vast brand assets.

While some brands strive to leverage trends, Chanel relies on heritage. Bruno Pavlovsky stresses the unshakable importance of brand culture: “We strictly adhere to the consistency of brand narrative in our culture, and we remain highly focused on women’s fashion. Chanel will not venture into furniture, menswear, children’s wear, or other product categories. We stay focused. I believe, in today’s world, maintaining focus is the brand’s most important commitment.” 

Mademoiselle Chanel was a natural business prodigy, self-taught and innately innovative in product categories. In an era of limited female fashion styles, she pioneered a blue ocean strategy by offering simplicity in contrast to luxury, looseness instead of constraint, and black-and-white instead of vibrant colors. With her rebellious creativity, she ushered in a new era of women’s fashion.

A particularly insightful statement on one wall in the exhibition reads: “Although Mademoiselle Chanel was not the first or the only designer to use black, her contribution lies in transforming this color into a symbol of modernity, applied to her dresses, suits, and coats. While fashion designers of the roaring twenties often used bright hues, the little black dress became a style practice for Chanel, continually innovated and interpreted.”

Undoubtedly, Mademoiselle Chanel was such a pioneering fashion innovator who transcended historical cycles. As one of the rare luxury fashion houses to have survived since World War II, Chanel’s enduring vitality also owes much to its robust organizational strength.

“Create, create, create!” – Pavlovsky repeatedly emphasizes Chanel’s core values, followed closely by “quality” and “experience.” Chanel consistently seeks the best fabric and craftsmanship suppliers to deliver exceptional product value to its customers. For instance, Chanel’s subsidiary perfection manages specialized workshops encompassing various crafts such as feathers and floral decorations, embroidery, gold and silver jewelry, millinery, footwear, gloves, cashmere, pleating, and more. Workshops like Massaro for footwear, Causse for gloves, Barrie Knitwear for cashmere, and Guillet
for floral decorations, along with many skilled artisans, constitute a vital part of Chanel’s brand culture: ultimate quality.

Since 2005, exhibitions such as ‘Chanel’, ‘Culture Chanel’, and ‘Inside Chanel’ have toured globally, covering cities like New York, Beijing, London, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo. These exhibitions allow consumers to understand the design concepts and stories behind Chanel’s different product lines, showcasing Mademoiselle Chanel’s innovative works with various artists.

Around 2020, amidst the pandemic, the exhibition “Gabrielle Chanel | Fashion Manifesto” debuted in Paris and subsequently collaborated annually with different museums and art galleries in cities like Melbourne at the National Gallery of Victoria, Tokyo at the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, and London at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The current exhibition at the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art marks its fifth city in this collaborative series.

Chanel’s strategic focus on brand heritage transcends nations, demographics, and cultures, rejecting short-term consumption driven by fleeting trends. This approach stands in stark contrast to prevailing marketing norms, offering significant insights for anyone in the industry. In other words, strategy dictates resource allocation—where today’s businesses should invest their resources (human, financial, and material)—clearly emphasizing core competencies rather than getting caught in an endless cycle of chasing short-term growth at the expense of long-term brand value accumulation.

According to the internal financial report released in May this year for 2023, Chanel’s global revenue reached $19.7 billion USD, marking a 16% increase from 2022, with operating profits of $6.407 billion USD, a 10.9% increase from the previous year. Sales in the Asia-Pacific region amounted to $10.178 billion USD, representing over half of the revenue, and serving as a significant pillar not to be overlooked.

Why can Chanel maintain double-digit growth even in economic downturns? The firm performance owes much to focused management strategies, perhaps the secret of ultimate luxury.

Today’s world sees heightened competition and economic slowdowns, an inevitable part of the economic cycle. Amidst this transition, countless traditional firms are phased out while numerous newcomers emerge. Chanel, having successfully navigated several economic cycles, finds this routine.

Bruno Pavlovsky says: “Everything we do now isn’t for the present, but for the future. Thus, we observe growth cycles in our operations. Currently, we’ve entered a phase of greater uncertainty, yet we continue to grow. I emphasize this point because it underscores our adaptability to economic conditions. Therefore, regardless of economic circumstances, Chanel’s strength lies in maintaining its leading position.”

Business growth is a natural outcome of managing brand culture, offering insights for Chinese fashion brands: it’s not just business but brand management, a strategic choice.

However, don’t strive to be someone else. Bruno Pavlovsky reminds us to remain true to our values and share them with customers as much as possible. Chanel has always upheld its unique creativity, expertise, and top quality from the start.

“Because Chanel is Chanel.”

Fashion Network China