Cinema has always inspired CHANEL’s fashion.

Two savoir-faire, two different creative expressions that Gabrielle Chanel brought together. The support of film productions, the creation and loan of costumes, and the preservation of heritage with the restoration of iconic pieces and a commitment to emerging talents: CHANEL nurtures a strong connection with cinema.

Surrounded by artists with singular voices, Gabrielle Chanel works with world-renowned actresses from the 1930s onwards. In 1931, the couturière travels to Hollywood to dress actresses at the United Artists Studio, such as Gloria Swanson. Later on, she connects with Romy Schneider and Jeanne Moreau, dressing them on screen and in life. Today, these close ties are embodied by actresses and House ambassadors Penélope Cruz, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, Ayo Edebiri, Nicole Kidman, Anamaria Vartolomei, Kristen Stewart, and Sakura Ando, as well as actor Pedro Pascal and artist A$AP Rocky, who are also ambassadors, all of whom partner with CHANEL on demanding and bespoke collaborations, from the creation of costumes to support for productions.

The long-lasting relationship between CHANEL’s fashion and cinema grew over time, reinforced by mutual inspiration and a common vision: to push creation forward. In keeping with the connections Gabrielle Chanel maintained with visionary figures such as Luchino Visconti and Jean Cocteau, CHANEL collaborates with today’s leading filmmakers, such as Michel Gondry and Sofia Coppola, and notably supports Olivier Assayas, Leos Carax, Christophe Honoré, Greta Gerwig, Pedro Almodóvar and Richard Linklater, whose latest feature film, Nouvelle Vague (2025) was awarded the César for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Costume Design in 2026. The House also supported the production of Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco (2025), which was shortlisted for the Oscar® of the Best Animated Film and was awarded the César for Best Animated Film and Best Original Music in 2026, and Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata’s Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024), which was awarded an Oscar® for Best Live Action Short Film in 2026.

Translating dreams into images is an art to be learnt and passed on. CHANEL contributes to the restoration of masterpieces like Marcel Carné’s Port of Shadows (1938), Jean Renoir’s The Rules of the Game (1939) and more recently, Paris, Texas (1984) by Wim Wenders. CHANEL also supports major institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, and acts as an official partner of cinema festivals in Deauville, Rome and Biarritz. The House is also the founder of the CHANEL & CINEMA – TOKYO LIGHTS programme in association with director Hirokazu Koreeda, which was created to support a new generation of talents and contemporary creation.