BUNKER STYLE: As part of its ongoing support for the film industry, Chanel has designed costumes for a musical about the end of the world.
“The End” marks the feature film debut of Joshua Oppenheimer, known for his Oscar-nominated documentaries “The Act of Killing” and “The Look of Silence” about the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66.
Starring longtime Chanel ambassador Tilda Swinton alongside Michael Shannon, George MacKay and Moses Ingram, the film tells the story of a family living in a luxurious underground bunker as the world above them burns.
Released in the U.S. on Dec. 6, the dystopian movie features a score by theater composer Josh Schmidt and lyrics by Oppenheimer.
“Chanel supported Joshua Oppenheimer and the film team in making this hotly anticipated work, demonstrating the house’s commitment to emerging, ambitious and engaged creativity,” Chanel said in a statement.
“A wakeup call about the threats posed by the climate catastrophe and social inequality, ‘The End’ illuminates the importance of honesty, forgiveness, and love – as well as an inclusive embrace of the broader human family, on which all of us and everything we hold dear ultimately depends,” it added.
Tilda Swinton and George MacKay in “The End.”
Courtesy of Chanel
In her role as a former dancer known simply as Mother, Swinton wears 10 outfits created by Chanel in collaboration with costume designer Frauke Firl, known for her work on films like Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist” and Margarethe von Trotta’s “Hannah Arendt.”
These include a tweed suit with autumnal checks, navy silk pyjamas, a red silk skirt and blouse, a swimming costume from Eres, and Chanel shoes and jewelry.
“She sets her invulnerable elegance against the dead-end repetition of the family’s daily routine. The way she dresses is a way of standing her ground, asserting her existence, and suppressing her trauma in a world on the brink,” Chanel said.
The character played by Ingram, who threatens the family’s fragile equilibrium, wears a Boyfriend watch and two Chanel pieces: an apricot dress created especially for the film and a cream-colored suit inspired by the spring 2020 haute couture collection.
“Worn at the end of the film, this outfit becomes the symbol of an act of assimilation into the family, a renunciation of her past to win the comfort and acceptance of a community built on delusion and fantasy,” the French fashion house said.
Moses Ingram in “The End.”
Courtesy of Chanel
Chanel regularly supports films featuring its brand ambassadors, including Pablo Larraín’s “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana; the musical “Annette,” featuring Marion Cotillard, and “Priscilla,” directed by longtime friend of the house Sofia Coppola.
Its links with cinema date back to 1931, when movie mogul Sam Goldwyn invited founder Gabrielle Chanel to Hollywood.
The house has costumed actresses ranging from Jeanne Moreau in “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” to Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine.” It also has longstanding partnerships with events such as the Deauville American Film Festival in France and the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
