Sofia Coppola’s new film about Priscilla Presley arrives at the Venice Film Festival. The director chose Chanel to reinterpret the protagonist’s wedding dress
The Venice Film Festival is the next event on the year’s film festival calendar. The film festival lands in the Italian city where films that we will be able to enjoy on the big screen at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 will be presented. Among this string of films, we find the new proposal of the New York director Sofia Coppola “Priscilla”. As can be guessed, the film is about Priscilla Presley and her love story with the king of rock, Elvis. And in that love story, one of the most memorable moments was their iconic wedding in 1967.
Recreating a historical scene is not always easy, and even less so for a wedding that was so talked about. A good costume is essential to recreate the atmosphere in the best possible way. For this, Coppola chose Chanel to reinterpret the dress worn by Priscilla on her big day. The director has a long and strong relationship with the Maison; she started when she was just 15 years old working as an intern in Lagerfeld’s time. She is also currently one of the French brand’s ambassadors. Chanel already brought Margot Robbie to life in “Barbie” with her wardrobe, and the “Priscilla” dress does not disappoint.
Priscilla Presley’s dress
Let’s get down to business. Let’s talk about Priscilla’s dress – the original. Priscilla Beaulieu married Elvis Presley in a suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas and her wedding was attended by no more than 15 guests. The search for her dress ended, at Westwood Department Store where she found her chosen one: “I didn’t have time to stand there looking at dresses all my life; I had one fitting for this dress and that was it”, Priscilla said. The piece in question was a long-sleeved, pearl-encrusted white dress: “It wasn’t extravagant or extreme; it was simple and, to me, beautiful”.
Wedding scene from “Priscilla” with Cailee Spaeny with veil and crown by Chanel and Jacob Elordi. Photograph by Philippe Le Sourd.
Chanel’s reinterpretation has been faithful to Presley’s design. It combines white crepe with Calais and Chantilly lace for the top and sleeves. The buttons are also covered with lace and took a total of 90 hours to make. The tulle veil attached to a small handmade tiara and embroidered with more than 500 pearly beads of different sizes, almost 50 clear glass tubes, more than 50 glass crystals and silver-plated rhinestones. It took 50 hours of work to create the crown.
Chanel crown and dress for “Priscilla”. Photograph by Chanel
“Virginie Viard did her interpretation based on the historical dress: an incredible Haute Couture wedding dress with the beautiful lace that is a Chanel speciality, for Cailee Spaeny’s character, something we could never have done ourselves,” says Coppola.
Chanel crown and dress for “Priscilla”. Chanel Photography
The film had a surprising reception at the Venice Film Festival, being catalogued as one of Sofia Coppola’s best films. Despite not having a confirmed release date in Spain, we hope to be able to enjoy “Priscilla” very soon.
