A Room of One's own... in Coco Chanel's Suite

“The Ritz is my home”, Gabrielle Chanel would tell her visitors. The legendary French couturière had her apartment on the rue Cambon in Paris, but in 1937 decided to take a suite at the Hotel Ritz (where fashion photographer François Kollar took this famous picture). She lived here for 34 years!

Mademoiselle Coco decorated suite n°302 by herself, bringing in her favorite furniture from gilded mirrors to velvet banquettes, and above all her signature decoration pieces, Coromandel lacquered screens, mixing them with hints of modern designs.

Overlooking the Place Vendôme, the Coco Chanel Suite was later recreated by fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and the House of Chanel, when the hotel completed a major renovation from 2012 to 2016.

"Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto", the first UK exhibition dedicated to the couturière's work, has just lauched at the V&A in London, and will be on until Feb 25, 2024!