Communist chic, c’est unique? As part of the recently launched “Month of the French Culture” in Cuba, Chanel is presenting the exhibition “Obra en Proceso / Work in Progress” by Karl Lagerfeld at the Factoría Habana, which will run from April 28 to May 12.
Today, Chanel creative director Lagerfeld and the fashion set are descending upon El Paseo del Prado, one of the main streets in Havana that divides Centro Habana from Old Havana, to experience the Parisian fashion house’s 2016-17 cruise runway show.
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Chanel posted a photo of the Cuban flag to announce the arrival of the brand’s team two days ago. Other guests such as The Coveteur’s creative director and co-founder Jake Rosenberg started posting photos on social media using the hashtag #CocoCuba on Monday, May 2. Gisele Bundchen, a face of Chanel — who was notably absent from last night’s “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” themed Met Ball in New York City — captioned a snapshot of the city on her Instagram: “Hola Cuba!”
A VIP welcome kit from Chanel included a straw fedora by Maison Michel (the label’s couture millinery), a Havana map and guide book and Sublimage sunblock. The majority of Chanel’s celebrity ambassadors — Kristen Stewart, Lily-Rose Depp and Willow Smith — were at the Met Gala, and whether or not they caught a private flight to Havana remains to be seen. If they’ve managed to wing their way there, they may end up witnessing Fidel Castro’s grandson Tony Castro, who is rumored to be walking in today’s show.
The running Chanel exhibition is divided into three sections representing the designer’s main interests — fashion, architecture and landscapes — with more than 200 of Lagerfeld’s photographs. According to a release from Chanel: “It explores the great diversity of subjects, approaches and techniques that define the very personal and subtle interpretation that makes Karl Lagerfeld’s photography. For him, a photo is not just an image but also a unique visual object.”
