Model and friend of the House, Ola Rudnicka’s instinctive, masculine-feminine style was a source of inspiration for Virginie Viard in the creation of the Chanel Pre-Fall 2021 collection. “There are things that I didn’t realise in the way I dress,” says Ola Rudnicka. “I never tried to define my style before. We could say I discovered it via Chanel. There is no better way.”

“It’s actually very 70s and a bit punk, with this classic Chanel hint in a way which is very elegant,” she adds. Indeed, the emphasis is on contrasting colours – black and white punctuated by pink and shades of grey -, materials (tweed, leather, knits, felt, cashmere, flannel, satin and silk) and styles.

A masculine-inspired silhouette emerges, such as this oversized black wool and cashmere coat with a wide collar, this pure trompe-l’oeil dress and this short grey duffle coat in hues that remind Ola Rudnicka of Brutalist architecture. Feminine details are nevertheless omnipresent: buttons with a double C on a shiny white leather coat lined with shearling, tweed embellished with sequins. The result of this masculine and feminine combination is a modern and relaxed look.

The collection also revisits the Parisienne’s style: a jacket and short skirt ensemble in black tweed highlighted by leather boots and a silver mini-bag, check patterns on suits and bags, and a play on layering with a shirt jacket worn under a black and pink waistcoat and a bag adorned with patches.

The Chanel pre-collection is now available in boutiques.