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Colour has never been my thing. Not because I’m immune to its allure but because I’ve never really invested much time in experimenting with tones myself. Having decided from a young age that monochrome tones were simply easier, I let others have their fun and leaned heavily on my all-black ensembles. But if anyone could convince me to consider the depth that colour can bring to an otherwise black-and-white wardrobe, it’s Ms. Chanel.
Revered for her ability to illuminate shades and bring them to life, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel has built a profound legacy of creating infinite possibilities within the spectrum of light and dark. “I’ll stop wearing black when they find a darker colour,” she once famously quipped—a deeply relatable sentiment. But what we often take for granted was her eye for colour. Lightyears ahead of her time in more ways than one, the house’s founder knew the district holds that certain colours could have not only on a wearer but those in its orbit.
As much as I’ve come to appreciate the ways this has influenced her work and that of her successors, though, I can’t say that I’ve tapped into these powers myself. colours that peppered her world.
Now, CHANEL Beauty brings us into this world.
With CODES COULEUR, the colour codes of CHANEL are amplified in an immersive experience that tracks an unsung love between the house and its emblematic hues. Inviting guests to play with colours through interactive stations and plenty of newness in beauty, the temporal pop-up is the perfect place for the colour-shy to see the light.
I say this because before it officially opened, I got a chance to peep inside the sensorial wonderland.
On a gloomy morning, I stepped through the vibrant orange entrance, bracing for impact, expecting to be hit by a wave of potent hues. But I was mistaken. Inside a pitch-dark room, words were projected onto the walls, almost echoing. These were quotes from Ms Chanel detailing her musings on colour and its nuances.
“Dive into the blue, but first make sure it’s deep,” read one quote. “A colour may be primary, but it must never be taken at first glance,” said another. Much to think about.
Moving onto a première dame-hued station of lipsticks like a magpie to foil, I made a stop by an artist’s chair to get a feel of the merch. I love lipstick, it’s one of the few makeup products I’m not completely terrified by, but I tend to stick to a comfort zone of nude tones. Of course, there was red, a classic of the house, presented in a slew of shades and finishes.
As CHANEL are wont to do, colour is utilised for its depth, with each one crafted to evoke a specific energy. It’s why they’re not simply named ‘Barbie Pink’ or ‘Classic Red’ but rather ‘Vibrant’, ‘Instinct’ and ‘Heat’.
To help someone like myself, CHANEL has brought some world-class tech to assist. Within the pop-up, there is a room where you can collect your perfect match. Using a camera that scans my lips, I’m recommended the shade ‘Romantic’, a convivial pink that, upon further inspection, is complemented by a sophisticated brown undertone.
Elsewhere, I find some fun in a photo booth-style activation rendered in the iconic Ballerina pink that pieces some selfies alongside CHANEL Beauty campaign images. Can’t say I mind joining the likes of Vittoria Ceretti, Mona Tougaard, Lily-Rose Depp and more vibrant ambassadors.
While I’ve been embracing the bare nail trend—completely unrelated to it trending, admittedly—I make a bee-line for the Cavalier Seul-drenched nail station. The hue has a special place in my heart, being one of the first CHANEL Le Vernis I ever owned. Something about the muted sage green resonated with me. Was it green? Was it grey? Was it even a colour? I’m still trying to figure it out. Like most CHANEL colour codes, it cannot be taken at first glance.
Further along my colour journey, I was introduced to an exciting feature of the pop-up. To celebrate the pop-up, CHANEL is offering limited edition beauty accessories available in the key colour codes. Glossy compact mirrors with the iconic interlocking Cs, a glass nail file and premium brushes for the face and eyes in a leather cylindrical case.
While black may be the absence of colour, I’m learning that embracing colour is not about the absence of black. Nothing is lost, and there is only a plethora to be gained by indulging in a smattering of Pirate pink here and Incendiaire orange there. Colours are rich and complex and bring layers to a look.
To Chanel’s earlier point, I can see what she was getting at with her attitude towards colour. There’s a world of potential to be unlocked if you look at it through the right lens. And just as she spurred a generation of women to see the light in black, CHANEL now invites us to see the depth in colour.
Mind me while I stick around in this beauty wonderland a little while longer…
The CODES COULEUR pop-up is open to the public from July 15th until August 4th at 143-145 King Street, Sydney. Discover a world of colour, according to CHANEL, complete with a host of immersive experiences, limited-edition beauty accessories and, of course, plenty of photo ops.
Register to visit here.
