Coco Crush: “Encounter” with a Chinese lens

Chanel’s latest jewelry campaign brings its Coco Crush universe to life through a uniquely Chinese perspective, starring house ambassadors Wang Yibo and Leah Dou. Shot at the legendary Château Marmont in Los Angeles, the campaign short film captures the spontaneity and emotion behind a meaningful encounter—Chanel style.

Wearing Coco Crush jewelry, both stars navigate personal stories of discovery and connection. Through their own journeys, the film illustrates how jewelry can serve as a symbol of individual experience, intimacy and serendipity.

Gabrielle Chanel once said that every encounter in life is a game between “luck and destiny.” That belief lies at the heart of the Coco Crush collection and this storytelling campaign.

In the context of this “encounter” narrative, each ambassador offered their own interpretation. Wang Yibo, the acclaimed actor, singer and dancer with a massive and engaged fan base, reflected on the theme with: “The very nature of an ‘encounter’ is its limitless potential. The story may find its conclusion, tantalize with mystery, or perhaps even unfold into another episode. Every possibility is quite open.”

Leah Dou added, “This shoot was at the Château Marmont in LA. I heard it has almost a hundred years of history, witnessing Hollywood’s golden age and the changing times. My childhood idol, Lana Del Rey, performed here, so I was really fascinated by this place. The Coco Crush shoot was about ‘encounters,’ and here, I felt like I also encountered the old times.”

The campaign was a hit across Chinese social media, driven by the massive influence of both stars. Shared by Wang Yibo and Leah Dou, the short film garnered nearly 25 million views on Weibo. The topic “Wang Yibo’s first Chanel campaign” also climbed into Weibo’s trending searches on launch day.

Chanel’s decision to pair these two talents was strategic. Wang Yibo brings mass appeal and youthful energy, while Leah Dou’s artistic credibility resonates with culturally attuned audiences. Together, they allow the campaign to bridge the gap between short-term impact and long-term brand aspiration.

The Coco Crush collection blends Chanel heritage with modern design, and this campaign anchors that narrative in the symbolism of a transformative encounter. Each piece in the collection features crisscrossing incisions across softly curved surfaces—evoking the iconic quilted motif first introduced with the 2.55 handbag in 1955. These clean lines and bold contours represent the beauty of contradictions: delicacy and strength, simplicity and intensity, softness and structure. Or, as Wang Yibo put it, “It was all an ‘anticipated’ encounter.”

Like many luxury brands in China, Chanel must strike a careful balance between heritage and local resonance. The Coco Crush campaign does exactly that—tapping into China’s influential youth culture without compromising the brand’s identity. By featuring two of the country’s most relevant celebrities, Chanel reinforced its cultural relevance while safeguarding its timeless aesthetic.

Written by Sissi Chu