wax poetics x chanel
watch the full conversation
As part of the bespoke editorial series we curated a one of-a-kind conversation between Angèle, Neneh Cherry, Solange and Yukimi Nagano. Each artist brings forth their unique backgrounds and experiences; creating a rich tapestry of perspectives that through it all champions artistic integrity and an aversion to convention.
Since 2001, Wax Poetics have been a vanguard in the celebration of cultural innovation, artistic expression and music scholarship. Chanel has been key in turning style into an artform, all the while constantly emphasising the heritage ethos of Gabrielle Chanel – the brand’s legendary founder who revolutionised women’s fashion in the early 20th century and inspired the latest Chance fragrance.
To celebrate the launch of Chance Eau Splendide, Wax Poetics and Chanel have joined forces to explore life, art and creativity through the lens of music and fragrance.
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Chance in Music
In the first of three exclusive Q+A’s to explore themes on taking a chance in the music industry, we are invited to witness these remarkable women break bread and reminisce on their storied careers. Exploring how the concept of chance intersects and shows up in a myriad of ways through their lives and through their art.
playfulness, the creative process & influences
In part two we examine playfulness and spontaneity as an integral facet of chance and how it’s necessary fuel to artistic growth and innovation.
Throughout the exchange, the ladies also reckon with finding comfort in imperfection, embracing vulnerability and how experimentation can go hand in hand with a child-like approach to creativity.
The Philosophy of Jazz
Angèle, Neneh Cherry, Solange and Yukimi Nagano look at how jazz can be used as a metaphor for taking risks in art and breaking free from tradition and expectation.
"My first record, I was more bold and also more maybe naive, in a way. But sometimes I miss this, the feeling of being a teenager, not really caring about who's going to like the record, or who's going to like my music."
"We were just doing our thing. A little bit of rap, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. That record just started to lead its own life."
"It carries smell. It carries sight. I think about your [Yukimi] song ‘Feather’, and I can recall myself in so many spaces having such incredible freeing moments to it. If I were to hear it now, I am back in my 20s at this bar, like I can imagine everything."
"It was a bit of a chance, because I had to believe in this, and I kept trying to push them into my own thing. And suddenly, when I got that belief from a label, I believed in it even more because it wasn't just about chasing that song or whatever it was that they felt that I needed, that was missing."
About Chanel
Chanel is a private company and a world leader in creating, developing, manufacturing and distributing luxury products. Founded by Gabrielle Chanel at the beginning of the last century, Chanel offers a broad range of high-end creations, including Ready-to-Wear, Leather Goods, Fashion Accessories, Eyewear, Fragrances, Makeup, Skincare, Jewellery and Watches. Chanel is also renowned for its Haute Couture collections, presented twice yearly in Paris, and for having acquired a large number of specialized suppliers, collectively known as the Métiers d’Art. Chanel is dedicated to ultimate luxury and to the highest level of craftsmanship. It is a brand whose core values remain historically grounded on exceptional creation. As such, Chanel promotes culture, art, creativity and “savoir-faire” throughout the world, and invests significantly in people, R&D, sustainable development and innovation. At the end of 2023 Chanel employed more than 36,500 people worldwide.
