Unlocking its most guarded historical archives, the French luxury house hands the keys to master provocateur Cindy Sherman for a radical new photo series starring fabricated matriarchs.
For decades, Cindy Sherman has used costumes, prosthetic makeup, and meticulous self-portraiture to deconstruct identity, aging, and the patriarchal gaze. Now, in one of the most unexpected and brilliant artistic pairings of the season, the legendary American conceptual photographer has turned her subversive lens toward fashion’s ultimate establishment: Chanel.
Unveiled for the second volume of Chanel’s independent Arts & Culture magazine, Sherman’s new series—titled Fabric Matrons—features a gallery of fictionalized older women draped in extravagant, hyper-stylized haute couture. The project came to life after Chanel opened its cavernous historical archives to the artist, inviting her to rifle through decades of priceless textiles, garments, and archival jewelry to construct her characters.
Spanning a massive 300-page issue that also features contributions from cultural icons like Patti Smith, the new volume positions Chanel less as a commercial house and more as an active patron of avant-garde critique. Set to debut publicly at Hauser & Wirth during Frieze London, the collaboration proves that the sharpest way to honor a legendary heritage is to let an iconoclast play with the pieces.