I went to see it! CHANEL Mademoiselle Privé Exhibition at Tennozu Isle B&C HALL

This CHANEL traveling exhibition started in London in 2015, toured through Asia in Seoul, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, and has finally arrived in Tokyo. I had been waiting for it with great anticipation. By utilizing LINE and a venue-exclusive app, offering workshops, and allowing photography inside the venue, it was a free but incredibly fulfilling experience. (Actually, I've already been twice...)

Venue: Tennozu Isle B&C HALL Exhibition Period: October 19 (Sat) - December 1 (Sun), 2019

◎ Why I decided to go

I was already subscribed to the CHANEL newsletter, so I learned about the exhibition there, and since a reservation was required, I also followed their official LINE account. I immediately received the reservation page and links to the three workshops being held during the exhibition period, so I booked them right away.

◎ What kind of exhibition is it?

The space is themed around the five colors essential to CHANEL—white, beige, black, red, and gold—and features displays of CHANEL haute couture clothing, shoes, the gorgeous bottle of CHANEL No. 5 perfume that everyone has surely heard of, and high jewelry with delicate designs. It is an exhibition where you can carefully admire, from an incredibly close distance, clothing that you would normally only be able to see for a fleeting moment at a fashion show.

If you ask what makes haute couture clothing different, it is that it is not ready-to-wear (prêt-à-porter), but one-of-a-kind custom-made pieces. Naturally, everything from the materials to the decorations is of the highest quality, and every step of the process is finished by hand by the best artisans and workshops. It is truly wearable art, craftsmanship, and art itself.

So, there is almost no opportunity for the general public to see them up close. The fact that they are opening this up to the public for free is just so generous. And on top of that, photography is allowed!!!

By the way, the exhibition title "Mademoiselle Privé" is the phrase that was posted on the entrance to the creation studio of Mademoiselle Chanel, the founder of CHANEL. It is located on the 4th floor of the CHANEL flagship store at 31 Rue Cambon, near Place Vendôme in Paris, France.

This door, which was impressive at the venue, when you get closer...

It's made of beads!!!! ...It made me feel faint.

The layout of this exhibition is inspired by the four rooms of the apartment on the third floor of the Paris flagship store and the famous glass spiral staircase, and it is just so, so lovely... I was busy not only looking at everything but also taking photos, and there were so many wonderful, stunning clothes on display. Ah... just remembering it, it was truly lovely.

◎What are the workshops?

During the exhibition, three types of workshops are held by reservation: an embroidery workshop by staff from the embroidery atelier 'Montex' that works on haute couture clothing, a gold leaf application experience with staff from the jewelry atelier, and a hand-sealing experience for perfume bottles. All of them were already fully booked by September. I was lucky enough to book the embroidery workshop, so I participated at the end of October!

Atelier staff were assigned to groups of 3 to 4 people to teach us how to embroider directly. We then freely sewed beads and other parts onto the fabric in our assigned area.

It was only a short time, but I was able to hear stories unique to those working on the front lines, such as how a Japanese staff member working in Paris got their job, and how they finished the pieces while looking at the actual design sketches and samples used.

In the end, it will take the shape of a kimono and is scheduled to be exhibited at a Chanel boutique in Tokyo next year...! Of course, I will go to see it!!!!

Ah, it's truly an amazing world... As someone who loves handiwork and studied clothing construction with the goal of becoming a pattern maker, it was a moment filled with such emotion and inspiration that my heart was full. Plus, I even received a certificate of participation at the end!!! I was so happy.

◎How about the audio guide?

You need to download the venue-exclusive app in advance, which serves as the audio guide. The design is, needless to say, wonderful, and the narration is by Hio Miyazawa. It fits the image perfectly. You can enjoy the content by using the app to scan the QR codes posted on the exhibits or held by staff at the venue.

You can use the venue's Wi-Fi, but don't worry if you can't download the app. They will lend you a smartphone for the audio guide at the venue for free!

In addition to the audio guide tailored to the exhibits, the app is packed with content, including plenty of videos of the haute couture collection and the atelier, as well as views of the apartment's interior.

But honestly, there was so much content that I felt rushed inside the venue... I thought I would listen to it slowly later, but to my surprise, I couldn't listen to it at all once I left the venue... (tears) (That's why I went twice...) Also, the rule was supposed to be that you listen to the audio with your own earphones, but since it was okay to listen without them at the venue, I was a bit bothered by the sounds coming from the smartphones of the people around me...

◎ How about the merchandise?

Nothing is for sale. However, at the exit of the venue, they gave away a large clutch pouch that fits B5 size and a pamphlet for free! I was surprised. The pamphlet seems to be a bit different from the content of the audio guide and is well worth reading. It's a wonderful hospitality.

(By the way, the gifts are available while supplies last. I don't think they will run out that quickly, though.)

◎ Summary

Workshops are not available, but you can book admission without any problems. I really want many people to go and see it casually! Children are also welcome. It is not a rotation system. At the very end, drawings of the ideas for this exhibition are also on display, and since every corner is wonderful, I highly recommend that you take your time and look at it until the end!!!

As mentioned above, you need to make a reservation in advance via LINE. Become friends with the official CHANEL LINE account and make a reservation from the special page. Once the reservation is complete, a QR code with your name and date/time will be displayed, so just show it at the venue. You will have to wait in line outside for about 5 minutes before entering, so if you go a little earlier than your reservation time, I think you can enter the venue earlier than others with the same reservation time.

There are no lockers or cloakrooms at the venue. Outerwear tends to be bulky in the coming season, but since it is originally a warehouse, I think it is fine to keep your outerwear on.

I don't often have the opportunity to go to Tennozu Isle, but it was a wonderful venue by the sea, and I was able to experience a bit of the extraordinary. It might be good to have an early lunch in the neighborhood and visit in the afternoon. The volume of the exhibition is about an hour if you look at it carefully.

After leaving the venue, I want you to hop over to the nearby IMA Gallery. You can enjoy photos of the atelier and the beautiful series video 'INSIDE CHANEL' and short movies produced by Mr. Karl on a large screen.

Ah, writing about it makes me want to go again. I took more photos inside the venue, but I decided to keep them to a minimum. I really want you to enjoy it a lot in person. I'm sure the exterior is even more lovely when it's lit up at night♪