GABRIELLE CHANEL -
FASHION MANIFESTO
V&A MUSEUM, LONDON

We were excited by the opportunity to deliver a fresh, chic, dynamic presentation of this superlative collection with the creative team Storey Studio, The Bon Ton and Luke Halls Studio. The lighting design was key to allow visitors to appreciate the objects with their exquisite details, forms, textures and materiality in close viewing, achieved at low conservation light levels whilst also creating a wider luminous, elegant layered lightscapes within the exhibition world they inhabit.

Inspired by Storey Studio’s approach we proposed the visitors experience the objects under subtly shifting lighting qualities moving through the sections from morning, noon, afternoon, dusk to night time and in both exterior and interior, rural and urban contexts. This was at times abstracted like in the entrance sequences with fresh crisp morning light and ending in the perfume room where we created an effect of beams of light passing through a gold liquid perfume bottle and at other times more suggestive in the evening wear section through subtly shifting dappled light created using gobos supporting both thematic narrative and evoking mood, contemplation and wonder.

With 200 hundred objects of fashion, textile, accessories and photography such sensitive works required careful choreography and we worked with the designers to create an exciting and varied visual journey throughout the show. We used light to introduce a dynamism to the display with AV to synchronisation sequenced moments that ranged from subtle evocation to full fashion drama.

V&A Exhibition Curator: Oriole Cullen
V&A Exhibition Project Curators: Connie Karol Burks & Stephanie Wood
Exhibition Design Team: Storey Studio 
Graphic Design: The Bon Ton 
AV Software Production: Luke Halls 
Sound Design: Coda to Coda 
Contractor: Setworks 
AV Hardware: Blue Elephant 
Graphics Production: Omni Graphics 
Technical Project Management and Quantity Surveyor: Focus Consultants 
Photographer: Thomas Adank