On the evening of September 27, under the opulent ceiling of the Palais Garnier, CHANEL reaffirmed its enduring devotion to the world of dance as Major Patron of the Paris Opera’s Opening Gala. The night was not only a celebration of the new season, but a continuation of the House’s storied relationship with the stage — one that traces its lineage back to Gabrielle Chanel’s original entwinement with the ballet in the early 20th century.
Since 2018, CHANEL has stood by the Paris Opera as a key cultural partner, deepening its role in 2023 to become Major Patron. This year’s Gala marked more than just another performance; it was an embodiment of the Maison’s commitment to nurturing creativity, heritage, and artistic futures.
Guests — including New Zealand Ballerina Hannah O'Neill, who is a Danseuse Étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet — gathered on a balmy Parisianne night to immerse themselves in a mix of avant-garde expression and classical mastery. Annabelle López Ochoa’s Requiem for a Rose, a modern meditation on love and loss, set an emotional tone as the opening performance of the evening, while the timeless romance of Giselle followed, reminding the audience of ballet’s enduring power to move and transcend.
But perhaps the most symbolic moment came during the traditional Défilé du Ballet. The Junior Ballet, founded in 2024 to open dance to broader and more diverse talent, took to the stage for only the second time, their presence underscoring CHANEL’s investment in the next generation.
Their costumes – which are, of course, as much a part of the spectacle as the choreography – poke their own language. CHANEL, in collaboration with the Opera’s ateliers and historic artisans produced 12 tutus that felt more like heirlooms than costumes in the traditional sense. Each one shimmered with 300 individual pinches of ostrich feathers, hand-applied for maximum ethereal effect. Corsets were adorned with delicate feathers and crowned with white satin camellias, nodding subtly to the House’s iconography.
After the curtain fell, the Grand Foyer became the stage for a different kind of performance – a dinner where the boundaries between artist, audience, and Maison dissolved. Dancers mingled with House ambassadors, bonding over a shared reverence for discipline, beauty, and reinvention.
In supporting this Gala, CHANEL is not just preserving the traditions of French ballet – it is writing its future. In the spirit of Gabrielle Chanel’s original passion for movement and artistry, the House continues to forge a dialogue between fashion and dance, rooted in heritage, but always facing forward.
