KENT, OH – the Museum is delighted to announce its upcoming exhibition, Forever Chanel – Coco + Karl, opening June 11. With exclusive preview hours for members during opening weekend, the exhibit will be on display through February 27, 2022.
In a world where fashion, celebrity, and personality are intertwined, a single name can conjure a complex picture of an individual. In this case, the name is Chanel. The fashions featured in Forever Chanel – Coco + Karl piece together a remarkable story of invention, reinvention, and relevant change over more than a century.
Forever Chanel will highlight over 40 outstanding examples in the KSU Museum collection of both Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971) and Karl Lagerfeld (1933- 2019), including couture and ready-to-wear. Highlights include an exquisite Coco dress from 1926 and suits from Karl’s early Chanel years. More than a showcase of their work and a comparison of styles, the exhibition will tease out the elements that both connect and distinguish the two designers, such as the use of tweeds, chains, quilting and camellia flowers; their personal mythologies and the role of loyal clients who have ensured the brand’s legacy.
“The KSU Museum’s collection of Chanel designs across the 20th and 21st centuries provides remarkable examples of the purity and classic elegance of the Chanel brand. Bringing the works together for the first time also creates a rich opportunity to explore how two legendary designers signaled and responded to dramatic shifts in society,” explains Sarah J. Rogers, Director and curator of this exhibition.
In addition to Forever Chanel – Coco + Karl, other exhibitions currently on display at the KSU Museum include:
- What’s New! Recent Acquisitions, on view through August 8
- Stitched: Regional Dress Across Europe, on view through December 19
About the KSU Museum
The Museum is located at 515 Hilltop Drive, at the corner of E. Main St. and S. Lincoln St. in Kent, Ohio. It features over 30,000 pieces in its collection, amassed from many generous donors. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 A.M. – 5 P.M. and Sunday from Noon – 4 P.M. All tickets must be purchased in advance through the museum’s . All visitors are required to wear a face covering when inside the building and respect social distancing rules.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children aged 5 to 17. The museum is free for children under 5 and for those with a Kent State ID. Sunday admission is free for all ages. Parking is free for all museum attendees. Patrons should use the allotted Museum spaces in the Rockwell Hall parking lot. For more information please call 330-672-3450 or visit www.kent.edu/museum.
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Media Contact:
Anna Mates, College of the Arts, amates@kent.edu