Last March, Chanel unveiled a triptych of short films for the debut campaign of its Chanel 22 bag. Directed by artistic director Virginie Viard’s go-to collaborators Inez & Vinoodh, each of the three different films showed a lesser-known side of the protagonist-slash-house ambassador it spotlighted. Cue Lily-Rose Depp (a model-actress exploring her identity as a Parisian and a Los Angeleno); Margaret Qualley (did you know she’s a Mother Earth type?); and Whitney Peak (the actress is all about true friendships).
Fast forward to this year, and the Chanel 22 sorority welcomes its newest member: Jennie of Blackpink, otherwise better known to her legion of Stans as Human Chanel. In the new campaign film launched on April 3, the K-pop idol shows off her whimsical and eccentric character. Inez & Vinoodh, who were once again roped in for this project, wanted to show the perfectionist K-pop star that Jennie is known to be on one hand and a more “funny and unruly young woman” on the other.
This idea of duality is something that Jennie herself echoed. She revealed that the photography duo had another term of endearment for her. “Inez & Vinoodh call me ‘My Girl’. It’s comforting because they see me as a young woman, not just ‘Jennie’ in the spotlight,” she said. “As a member of Blackpink, I’m constantly in the spotlight, but these images are an accurate representation of who I really am.”
Jennie of Blackpink (top left) completes the lineup of Chanel 22 faces which include (clockwise from top right) Margaret Qualley, Whitney Peak and Lily-Rose Depp. This campaign is not her first for the house, though. Since becoming its brand ambassador in 2017, she has fronted campaigns for Chanel’s apres-ski line Coco Neige and the popular Coco Crush fine jewellery range.
The one-minute film was shot in Jennie’s hometown of Seoul and includes vignettes of Jennie set against backdrops like a traditional Korean hanok and an underground photobooth. The scene starts with a shot of an alarm clock ringing and a cartoon of a rooster crowing – setting the mood for an Alice In Wonderland-esque storyline that will later include scenes of the singer with mechanical wings. As always, the Chanel 22 bag is always by her side.
Named after the year of its inception, the bag’s moniker also plays on Chanel’s penchant for numerology: it is a nod to N°22 perfume which was created in 1922, one year after the iconic N°5 was born. The bag – available in S, M and L – which features double straps that also function as the bag drawstring also speaks volumes about Viard’s knack for creating practical chic designs that allow for freedom of movement.
Whitney Peak takes her large Chanel 22 with her “all day” when she’s on the move in the city. “I carry everything I may need throughout the day in my bag. If I go for a coffee, I’ll do some work on my computer and then go for a walk, maybe stop in the park to read or sketch. I’ll walk around for a couple of hours, have lunch with a friend, see an exhibition or do some shopping to kill time. Then invariably meet friends for dinner or go see a movie,” she said.
“As with the first three films starring Lily-Rose Depp, Margaret Qualley and Whitney Peak, the central theme of this episode with Jennie is self-confidence: what makes you feel confident in your life, whether it’s your friends, being by yourself at home, nature. They all have their own ways of feeling good in themselves,” Inez & Vinoodh revealed in a joint statement.
Margaret Qualley was photographed by Inez & Vinoodh in the desert of Palm Springs for her Chanel 22 campaign, to highlight the actress’ strong connection to Mother Nature.
Qualley mirrors that sentiment when she said: “The Chanel 22 bag is a perfect example of Virginie’s natural ability to create pieces that empower women. This is a bag that accommodates a woman’s every need. It’s a bag made for a woman who works and reads and maybe even carries around a colouring book for her kids or snacks, all while looking stylish as heck.”
A dear friend of the house, Lily-Rose Depp regards the Chanel 22 as a bag that shows Virginie Viard’s understanding of designing for women. “Virginie has created a bag that will make any outfit look gorgeous and timeless,” she said. “And she also understands that the person wearing it may need it for lots of different situations, making this bag perfect for every occasion.”
Besides an equally roomy and handy backpack within the line, the Chanel 22 family welcomes more playful iterations of the bag this season. These include a version crafted from calfskin that has been shaded in pink and burgundy tones. Then there are the mini versions of the bag which have a third leather strap and a pearl chain. Want a peep at the new additions? Scroll on.