Nearly a week after Karl Lagerfeld presented the Chanel cruise 2018 collection (which by the way, for his most literal show yet, had a cruise theme), the designer turned away from his seafaring pursuits to pay attention to another activity: winter sports. Named Coco Neige (“snow” in French) arrives a line solely dedicated to snow-based sports and—for the less active—après-ski, uniting technical, performance wear with Chanel’s signature design codes.
And to signal the arrival of Chanel’s foray into the ski world, Lagerfeld tapped brand ambassador and Academy Award-nominated actress Margot Robbie to front the first-ever Coco Neige campaign.
“This shoot was one of the greatest experiences of my career. The energy and vibe on set was so wonderful and collaborative. One of the first things Karl Lagerfeld said to me was that we never need to take ourselves too seriously,” Robbie said in a statement of the shooting experience. “He has such a creative mind and he knows exactly what he wants and the minute he captured it, we were moving onto the next shot. It was amazing. Karl Lagerfeld is a creative mastermind. I already knew he was a genius but to be able to spend time with him in person, I now know he is also just a wonderful human being.”
Shot by Lagerfeld and styled by Carine, the campaign captures the spirit of the outdoors, with Robbie dressed in a Coco Neige trapper and an ivory sweater against a backdrop of a blue sky and clouds. But more importantly, both the campaign and the forthcoming collection embody founder Gabrielle Chanel’s love of the open air and sportswear. And because Chanel already supplies its luxe take on skis and snowboards, accompanying apparel was the obvious next step.
Drawing from masculine and feminine energies, Coco Neige plays up classic Chanel elements, like tweed, leather, and quilting, satin, and velvet, and playfully juxtaposes them against waterproof, windproof materials, complete with heat-sealed seams and reinforced protection to endure even the most challenging ski or snowboarding course. Those come in the form of high-collared parkas, down jackets, knit sweaters, and salopettes in a chic monochrome color palette with pops of blue and fuchsia. As for accessories, ribbed knit balaclavas, suede mittens, two-tone shear-ling boots, roomy backpacks, sleek ski goggles, and more are designed to finish the whole look.
