Roe Ethridge at Chanel Nexus Hall: a dialogue with the archives in Tokyo

From February 25th to April 18th, 2026, Roe Ethridge takes over Chanel Nexus Hall in Ginza with his solo exhibition, which is a poetic meditation on memory, image-making and legacy. The works, commissioned for the inaugural issue of Chanel Arts & Culture magazine, are presented in exhibition format for the first time, underscoring the House’s commitment to artistic dialogue through the Chanel Culture Fund.

A long-time collaborator of the House, Ethridge was granted rare access to Gabrielle Chanel’s private universe: the Patrimoine archives and her storied apartment at 31 rue Cambon in Paris. Known for blurring the boundaries between documentary and constructed imagery, the American photographer approached the commission with his signature instinct for spontaneity and layered meaning.

Chanel Arts & Culture magazine: reframing the archive

Created for Chanel Arts & Culture magazine, the series unfolds as a suite of composite collages that animate the House’s heritage. Ethridge photographed a remarkable constellation of objects—among them a sculpted bust of Chanel by Jacques Lipchitz, Pierre Reverdy’s manuscript Poèmes pour Misia, illustrated dedications from Gala and Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso’s sketches for Le Tricorne, and even an Egyptian funerary mask dating to the second century AD.

Shot in a Paris studio and paired with contemporary props, these archival treasures are reimagined through Ethridge’s lens. The resulting mise-en-scènes feel at once intimate and cinematic, revealing how objects carry both personal and cultural memory.

Legacy in motion

Gabrielle Chanel’s revolutionary vision extended far beyond fashion; her deep ties to avant-garde artists defined her as one of the great cultural patrons of the 20th century. This exhibition continues that lineage. Through the Chanel Culture Fund and initiatives like Chanel Arts & Culture, the House affirms its role as a catalyst for creative exchange.