You imagine her strolling along the cobblestones of Rome, admiring the Spanish Steps. Coco Chanel, chatting with Jean Cocteau and Francine Weisweiller through the streets of the Eternal City. It’s 1958, early spring, but the sun is bathing Rome. With a very young Susie Parker, who was later chosen as the face of the fashion house, they decided to visit St. Peter’s Basilica wearing light-colored gloves. After her experience in Hollywood, the grandeur of the Italian capital, immersed in the allure of the dolce vita, with the nascent Cinecittà just a few kilometers away, must have intrigued her. Arriving today at the Villa Medici Film Festival in Rome, we seem to recognize her silhouette among the pines and cypresses of the park. Confident in her steps, irreverent in her cultural astuteness, but above all independent, with an eye always directed towards innovation.
Chanel’s connection to cinema spans over a century, from Gabrielle Chanel in Hollywood in the 1930s to today’s support for festivals, restorations, and young directors. It’s not just fashion, but a cultural commitment that reaffirms the centrality of female stories and images on the big screen.
Among the most recent initiatives, the fashion house confirms its partnership with the Villa Medici Film Festival for the fourth consecutive year, a Roman event dedicated to the dialogue between contemporary art and the seventh art. This partnership renews Chanel’s Italian tradition, intertwined with names such as Antonioni, Visconti, and iconic actresses such as Jeanne Moreau and Monica Vitti.
From left: Sam Stourdzé, director of the French Academy in Rome and Villa Medici, Elsa Heizmann, director of Relations between Chanel and Cinema.
The 2025 edition will feature the screening of Adam’s Sake, starring Anamaria Vartolomei, the fashion house’s ambassador, and Léa Drucker. The film centers on Adam Sait, a mother who courageously faces the challenges of her son’s hospitalization. An independent woman, forced to confront the fragility of a system and the burden of family responsibilities, yet capable of transforming suffering into resilience.
A portrait that reflects the spirit of Chanel’s beloved heroines: modern, independent women, ready to face society without mediation. Thus, through fashion and cinema, the house continues to tell stories of strength and freedom.
At the screening of Adam’s Sake, directed by Laura Wandel, young film talents took part in the event wearing Chanel clothes and jewelry:
Carlotta Gamba wears a black leather vest. CHANEL bag and shoes Coco Crush earrings, rings, and pendants in white and yellow gold and diamonds by CHANEL Joaillerie CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
Ludovica Martino wears a black leather jacket. CHANEL bag and shoes COCO Crush rings in BEIGE gold and diamonds by CHANEL Joaillerie CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
Romana Maggiora Vergano wears a red tweed jacket. CHANEL bag and shoes COCO Crush pendant and earrings in BEIGE gold and diamonds by CHANEL Joaillerie CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
Celeste Dalla Porta wears denim pants and a white top. CHANEL bag and shoes Eternal N°5 pendant, bracelet, and ring in white gold and diamonds, and Coco Crush pendant and bracelet in white gold and diamonds by CHANEL Joaillerie CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
Ginevra Francesconi wears an ecru knit jacket. CHANEL bag and shoes. CHANEL Makeup: Les 4 Ombres Boutons collection. CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
Sebastiano Pigazzi wears CHANEL sunglasses and a camellia brooch CHANEL J12 38mm Calibre 12.1 watch in black ceramic and steel CHANEL Makeup Eyes: Les 4 Ombres Boutons Face: Les Beiges Touche De Teint
