Benoît Peverelli: CHANEL – Fittings and Backstage

An in-depth look at Chanel's collections from the last decade by Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard

If you’re ever lucky enough to make it backstage at one of Chanel’s fashion shows, at Paris’ Grand Palais or a different exotic location, you might catch a glimpse of a certain photographer passionately clicking away as he weaves his way past models, celebrities and artistic director Virginie Viard. That photographer is Benoît Peverelli, and this book is an in-depth look at Karl Lagerfeld’s collections for Chanel from 2010 to his last, shown in March 2019, and reveals the remarkable continuation of the story of the house through Viard’s collections.

CHANEL – Fittings and Backstage is the long-awaited revised edition of the original sold-out book of 2018. Containing more than 2,000 photos and nearly 20 new collections, the publication comprises four volumes, one for each of Chanel’s collections: Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear, Cruise and Métiers d’Art, which celebrates the savoir-faire of the numerous ateliers producing embroidery, beading, buttons and more—all by hand. Peverelli depicts the beauty and secrets of the backstage world, but also revealed are the fittings leading up to the show—exclusive meetings between Viard and the Chanel Studio at 31 Rue Cambon, where each model’s garment, accessories, make-up and hair are individually adjusted and perfected late through the night for the next morning’s show.

Born in 1970 in Switzerland, Benoît Peverelli cofounded the music magazine Vibrations in 1991. In 1993 he relocated to New York, working for publications including the New York Times, Life and John F. Kennedy Jr.’s political magazine George. Peverelli has furthermore photographed musicians throughout the Americas and Africa, as well as record covers for labels including Blue Note and Verve. In 2002 he settled in Paris, where he took up fashion photography while continuing to make portraits and reportage. In 2014 Peverelli coedited the Steidl book Balthus: The Last Studies, and in 2016 he directed the musical film Paysage Cantique / Le Cantique des Cantiques.