The Discipline of Elegance
Notes from a spring visit, 2024
V&A, London.
There is a quiet discipline in true elegance. It asks for restraint, for an understanding of when to stop, for confidence in simplicity. At the V&A’s Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto, I was reminded how powerfully that philosophy endures, not only in fashion, but in all forms of design.
Portrait of Gabrielle Chanel at the V&A.
Her work has long been a personal inspiration, not only for its beauty, but for what it represents. Determination, grit, and a refusal to conform. She built a world of her own making, one rooted in simplicity, practicality, and quiet confidence. Each garment and object speaks of restraint ~ that art of knowing when to stop, when to let the purity of an idea breathe.
Chanel garments in layered whites & soft neutrals displayed at the V&A.
The exhibition revealed the power of subtlety in full force. Rows of garments in layered whites and soft neutrals ~ gossamer silks, matte jerseys, sheer tulles ~ each whispering of form and movement. It reminded me of how I love to work with paper in my own designs: exploring translucency, layering tones, finding intrigue in texture rather than embellishment. Chanel’s monochromatic palettes spoke the same visual language I am drawn to ~ tonal harmony, balance, and the beauty found in restraint.
Chanel’s Marinière blouse displayed at the V&A.
Her early Marinière blouse, made from silk jersey, felt revolutionary in its simplicity. Designed for ease of movement, it turned practicality into poetry. That same philosophy ~ of creating beauty that serves function ~ feels timeless and deeply relevant to design today.
Chanel No. 5 packaging display at the V&A.
The displays dedicated to Chanel No. 5 were equally moving in their quiet precision. The square bottle, the unadorned label, the absence of unnecessary flourish, all so modern, so sure of itself. A reminder that confidence in clarity is the ultimate luxury.
I left feeling reaffirmed in what I have always believed: that elegance lies not in excess, but in purpose. The courage to take away, to design with intention, to allow space for the eye to rest, these are the principles that endure.
For me, Chanel’s legacy is not simply one of fashion, but of philosophy. She understood that true sophistication is silent. It does not demand attention; it earns it.
Thank you for reading,
