Focus, a leading expert in museum exhibition project management, is celebrating the recent opening of V&A’s new highly anticipated exhibition, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto. This groundbreaking exhibition running until February 2024, marks the first-ever UK retrospective dedicated to the legendary French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, showcasing the evolution of her iconic design style.

Focus brought its wealth of expertise to project manage this extraordinary exhibition experience. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto unveils over 200 meticulously curated looks, accompanied by accessories, perfumes, and jewellery, presented together for the very first time. This immersive exhibition delves into Chanel’s pioneering approach to fashion design, which revolutionised elegance and continues to shape contemporary women’s fashion to this day.

Based upon the Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition at the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum in Paris, the V&A in London reimagined this extraordinary exhibition to feature rarely seen pieces from the V&A’s collection, alongside looks from Palais Galliera and the Patrimoine de CHANEL, the heritage collections of the Fashion House in Paris. Highlights include one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments from 1916; original costumes designed by Chanel for the Ballets Russes production of Le Train Bleu in 1924; outfits created for Hollywood stars Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich; an early example of Chanel’s ground-breaking evening trousers and ensembles from Chanel’s final collection of 1971.

Focus employed their meticulous planning skills to ensure a seamless project delivery, overcoming the constraints that are inherent in temporary exhibitions such as tight programme, live site and tight budget. By carefully scheduling tasks, setting realistic deadlines, and coordinating efforts, Focus maximised productivity and utilised the limited time efficiently.

“The V&A is one of Focus’ esteemed clients, and we are thrilled to have been entrusted with the management of such a high-profile exhibition,” said Focus partner Eleanor Clarke.

Focus is a leading consultant in the museum exhibition sector having worked with many of the UK’s major museums on exhibitions and refurbishments, undertaking a range of roles including project management, quantity surveyor and contract administrator, working collaboratively with the client team, designers and contractors to deliver projects to both budget and schedule. The company has been privileged to have worked on previous projects at the V&A including Cars: Accelerating the Modern World, Video Games: Design/Play/Disrupt, Bejewelled Treasures: The Al Thani Collection, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk and Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up.