WOMEN IN FOCUS: Chloé‘s flagship on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris is displaying eight large-scale paintings by Danish artist Mie Olise Kjærgaard, debuting an initiative dubbed Chloé Arts.
Chemena Kamali, creative director of Chloé, said the crux of the project is exalting “female accomplishment.”
“It’s really about bringing attention to incredible women who — no matter what field they work in — deserve a platform for their voice to be heard, for their work to be seen,” she said in an interview.
Chloé added that the program is designed to “nurture selected emerging artists, and create unexpected interdisciplinary conversations across different fields of the arts.”
Kjærgaard often paints women in action — playing tennis, riding bikes, or leaping through the air like “Charlie’s Angels” might.
Kamali said she immediately connect with Kjærgaard, finding out that she graduated from London’s Central Saint Martins the same year she did, 2007, although in a different program.
A painting by Mie Olise Kjærgaard.
Courtesy of Chloé
“The women in my work have stopped worrying about people’s expectations and are deep into pursuing their own desires and interests,” said Kjærgaard. “I am intrigued by the feeling of using one’s energy with freedom to some sort of max; like hitting a tennis ball satisfyingly perfectly. This freedom is a privilege, it’s a dream, and it matches well with Chloé’s spirit.”
The fashion house is dubbing the installation a “visual conversation coinciding with the first collection of Chemena Kamali for the house.”
Chloé is hosting a cocktail party Monday night at the store to toast the artist, and the new project.
Benoit FLORENCON
A painting by Mie Olise Kjærgaard inside Chloé’s Paris flagship.