“Leather is leather”. CHANEL works on its future, consolidates the supply chain and establishes a production and innovation centre together with 19M. But the brand has an unshakable certainty: as far as material research can go, some pillars will not change. One above all: leather.
Pavlovsky’s word
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of CHANEL, explains the plan to the French edition of Fashion Network. Looking at the transformations of the luxury industry, the manager explains that “the future will be a mix between what we are doing today with the contribution of new technologies, even if I don’t know which ones yet. For embroidery, buttons, jewellery, we work a lot with 3D. Five years ago, we didn’t think we would be able to get to this point”. The course includes a continuous work of realignment of the practices: “We try to progressively evolve the crafts of luxury – says Pavlosvsky -, combining their ancestral know-how with technology”. Even a revolution, like the one the fashion industry is experiencing, has its limits: “But we do not invent new materials – it ensures -: leather is leather!”.
Production chain
CHANEL has almost prepared 19M, the new Parisian headquarter (25,000 square meters, 600 employees) where activities of 11 of the group’s 31 ateliers will be concentrated. The polo is likely to become the incubator and propeller of the brand’s innovativeness. Brand that, for its part, is working to consolidate the supply chain through the acquisition of suppliers. “With us, they will be able to count on a solid partner, which will help them perpetuate their savoir faire and revise their ambitions upwards – concludes Pavlovsky -. For CHANEL, the idea is (to protect) the excellence of the companies we have been working with for many years, and with whom we share the same vision. In line with our strategy, Mabi, Corti and Grandis will continue to work with all their customers”.
