For anyone that’s a regular M.I.S.S. reader, you know that I’ve been keeping close tabs on the Chanel films coming out this year. Coco Avant Chanel premiered in Paris on Monday night at the Champs-Elysées theater. Audrey Tautou, who plays Coco Chanel in the film, wore a Chanel couture floral bustier dress (um, what else would she wear??). Tautou’s co-star Alessandro Nivola, who plays Chanel’s love interest Boy Capel, was at the premier - though he got rid of the moustache he had to sport for the film. The pair definitely look cute together and I’m guessing they’ll have great chemistry on film.
Coco Avant Chanel documents Chanel’s early life from her childhood in an orphanage and ends with her debut runway show. The film is set to release in the U.S. later in the year - I can’t wait to see it!
One can tell from the stills that the creators of the film went through great lengths to make sure the costuming was accurate: Karl Lagerfeld is overseeing the re-creation of the costumes and accessories. And, who better considering he is one of the few people with access to the Chanel archives?
The film is set for release in France on April 22nd and a U.S. release date is not yet set. To see the trailer, check out my previous post.
Eighty-eight years ago, on 05.05.21, Gabrielle Chanel launched her first fragrance - Chanel No.5. Today, Chanel No.5 is still the world’s best selling fragrance and, according to Chanel, “a product in the Chanel No. 5 portfolio is sold every six seconds.” Because of this legacy, Chanel No.5’s advertising is always the pinnacle of ad campaigns.
It’s been several years since Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman teamed up for the Chanel No. 5 mini film. As we’ve previously reported, Audrey Tautou will be the face of the new Chanel No. 5 campaign - and very fittingly, since she is also cast as Gabrielle Chanel herself in Coco Avant Chanel. Directing Ms. Tatuou is long-time collaborator Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who directed her in her breakthrough film, “Amélie.” Tautou admitted that she has refused offers to represent other fragrances, she stated, “I needed to have a connection with the product.”
The full-length Chanel No. 5 film (2.25 minutes) releases on the internet on 05.05.09, but it was also produced in 60, 45 and 30 second versions for television. The “megaproduction” took 3 weeks to film last May, with the help of a crew of 250. The commercial weaves a tale of “missed encounters between strangers” and takes us to locales including Paris, Istanbul, and Nice. The commercial is set to the tune of Billie Holliday’s “I’m a Fool to Want You” and ends with the lovers in a tender embrace standing on a Chanel logo mosaic. Read the full story to see more gorgeous stills from the commercial and see if you can pick up on all the hidden Chanel themes. I can’t wait to see this commercial. If it’s anything like the last 2 Chanel commercials (Kidman’s Chanel No.5 and Knightley’s Coco Mademoiselle), then it’s going to be fabulous!
A few months back we let you know about the film about Chanel’s life, starring Audrey Tatou as Chanel, that’s in the works. The trailer is finally here! From what I can see, this looks like it will do Mademoiselle’s life justice. It’s in French - as it should be. It’s releasing in France on April 22nd and will release later in the U.S. I cannot wait for this!! View the trailer below.
If you’ve read M.I.S.S. for a minute then you know that I love Chanel. She’s an icon and an inspiration for women striving to achieve their dreams. Lately, you’ve probably hear us talk aboutCoco Avant Chanel, the movie set for release next year starring Audrey Tautou as Mlle. Chanel. Well, it appears the mania is spreading and the Lifetime Network is the next to hop on the band wagon. On Saturday, September 13th at 8pm Lifetime is premiering Coco Chanel, the made-for-television movie depicting the life of Gabrielle Chanel. Barbora Bobulova plays the Chanel of youth and Shirley MacLaine plays the older, wiser Chanel. Now, I’ll watch this because it has to do with Chanel. But, I have to admit that I am less than excited about Shirley MacLaine playing Chanel. I have a giant mental block - I can’t see MacLaine as the sleek, sophisticated and suave Mademoiselle. It seems I’m not the only one, Vogue UK reported that so far, the critics are not impressed. If you’re curious, and want to make your own opinion (advised), tune in to Lifetime on September 13th. You can find more information on the Lifetime movie here.
Coco Chanel never married but she had several partners throughout her life. The man that was “the one true love” was Boy Capel, an English business man who helped finance Chanel’s first millinery shop. We reported a few months back that Audrey Tautou was cast as Mademoiselle Chanel. Today, we learned that Alessandro Nivola is cast as Boy Capel, Chanel’s “love of her life.” Tragically, Boy Capel died in a car crash and afterward Chanel’s collections featured what became her signature black. Other designers of the time commented that she was making everyone mourn for her lost love by using black as a main color in her collections. Whatever the reason, Chanel broke barriers and gave new life to the color black. We’ll learn about this and much more about the designer’s early life. I cannot wait to see this movie!!
Last year we told you that a film based on the life of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was in the works with Audrey Tautou cast as the fashion icon. The mysterious film set for release next year has a name: Coco Avant Chanel, which translates roughly to Coco Before Chanel, is the back story to Chanel’s life before she became an internationally recognized designer. British Vogue spoke to Tautou recently about her role and she stated:
I’m very happy with the script because it is about her youth and the elements which tell us what she would become and why her style is what it is today. . . . It gave me the freedom to be between the image of what people think about her [Chanel] but also her before her success.
I can’t say enough how I think Audrey Tautou is the perfect actress for this role. This film can’t come out soon enough!
