Chanel

Aug 2023

The Chanel Coco Crush Qixi 2023 ad campaign masterfully distills the house's signature luxury through a lens of quiet, modern intimacy. Under the expert creative direction of Virginie Viard, the campaign eschews traditional maximalism in favor of editorial minimalism, allowing the intricate craftsmanship of the jewellery to take center stage against a stark, high-key white backdrop. Photographer Tim Elkaïm captures this connection with precision, utilizing studio strobe lighting to create a high-contrast aesthetic that emphasizes both the metallic sheen of the gold bands and the authentic chemistry between talent Liu Wen and Jing Boran. The creative vision is further elevated by the styling of Charlotte Collet, who opted for textured black apparel to ensure the subjects provide a neutral canvas for the collection’s delicate ear cuffs and layered gold rings. Complementing this, Joseph Pujalte’s clean hair styling and He Lei’s bold, vibrant red lip application ground the portraits in a classic, sophisticated beauty standard. By focusing on tight, intentional compositions and the tangible interplay of hands and profiles, the work manages to feel both timeless and contemporary. This project serves as a compelling masterclass in commercial portraiture, proving that when the storytelling is pared back to its most essential elements, the result is a resonant, high-fashion narrative that feels uniquely personal and elevated.

Vertical, Commercial

Studio strobe

Jewellery, Fashion