Chanel's New Podcast Series Highlights Female Authors

If you are in need of new novels and authors to sweep you away, look no further.

Chanel has revealed the first two episodes of a brand new podcast entitled, Les Rencontres. This venture falls in line with its previous Rendez-vous littéraires rue Cambon that began in 2021. The result of a collaboration between Creative Director Virginie Viard and Chanel ambassador and spokesperson Charlotte Casiraghi.

Les Rencontres, introduced by Casiraghi, turns the spotlight on contemporary female authors who have recently published their first novel—one episode at a time. Each month, a new episode will be recorded in French and in English. The French version will be hosted by journalist Lauren Bastide, and writer and literary critic, Erica Wagner will host the English version.  

“This podcast is dedicated to young literary creation,” explains Chanel representative, Charlotte Casiraghi. The goal of these podcasts is to meet blooming new authors and to shed light on their novels. “We hope to encourage other talented young people to get involved in creation."

The first English episode is devoted to American writer, Lisa Taddeo. Throughout the episode, she discusses her first novel, Animal, which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2021. She talks to Wagner about her aptitude for fiction, her desire to write books that question what society expects of women, as well as the importance of self-criticism as part of the creative process. 

Pauline Gonthier is the guest of the French episode in which she introduces her novel Les Oiselles Sauvages, published by Julliard in 2021. With Bastide, she discusses her ambition to write books that will create the desire to read, the genesis of her writing, and her meeting with Annie Ernaux.

The first two episodes of Les Rencontres are now available on chanel.com, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.