CHANEL Connects: Season 5 Premiere – "In Search of Home" with Lupita Nyong’o and Emanuele Coccia

Release Date: July 15, 2025

Introduction

Season 5 of CHANEL Connects, the flagship arts and culture podcast presented by Yana Peel, delves into the intricate concept of "home" through the insightful conversation between Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o and renowned philosopher Emanuele Coccia. Set against the evocative backdrop of La Pausa, Gabrielle Chanel’s meticulously restored Mediterranean villa on the French Riviera, this episode explores how home serves as a nexus for creativity, identity, and personal growth.

Exploring the Essence of Home

The episode opens with Lupita Nyong’o expressing her excitement about the conversation. Emanuele Coccia introduces himself and begins to unravel the philosophical underpinnings of what constitutes a home. Lupita shares her role as a Chanel ambassador and sets the stage for a deep dive into the meaning of home beyond its physical structure.

Philosophy of Home

Emanuele Coccia discusses his motivation for writing Philosophy of the Home, highlighting a glaring gap in both philosophical and architectural discourse where homes, unlike cities, receive scant attention. He challenges the conventional notion that a home is merely a place, sharing his personal experience of moving over 40 times in his life. Coccia states, “Your house is not like the walls and the roof. It's a set of objects or persons or dogs that you need to have close to you” (02:37), emphasizing that home is an aggregation of meaningful elements rather than a static location.

Lupita’s Journey of Belonging

Lupita Nyong’o delves into her personal journey of moving across continents, influenced by her parents' frequent relocations. Born in Mexico, raised in Kenya, and establishing her career in America, Lupita recounts her initial struggles when she moved to Mexico at 16. She shares, “I didn't speak Spanish, I didn’t understand the culture, I didn’t understand the food... I was desperate to go back home to Canada” (04:45). This narrative underscores the emotional turbulence of adapting to new environments and the quest for peace and familiarity in defining home.

Transforming Spaces into Homes

The conversation evolves to discuss how individuals transform transient spaces into homes. Emanuele emphasizes the magic involved in this transformation, likening it to casting a spell: “Every time you’re making home, you are reproducing, creating a new world” (12:17). This metaphor highlights the transient yet profound act of making a place feel like home, a concept Lupita resonates with deeply.

The Role of Gardens and Nature

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the importance of gardens and nature in creating a sense of home. Lupita shares how access to outdoor spaces profoundly impacted her feeling of belonging: “I spent six months in upstate New York on a property that had about 100 trees. I felt way more at home and comforted by those 100 trees than I did by my stone apartment in New York” (16:19). They discuss the resilience of nature and its role in revitalizing spaces, with Emanuele referencing French landscape architect Jules Clément’s philosophy of allowing gardens to evolve naturally by embracing weeds and the organic growth of plants (17:20).

Technology’s Impact on the Sense of Home

The dialogue shifts to the influence of technology and social media on the perception of home. Lupita expresses a nuanced view, stating, “Social media robs me of my feeling of home” (20:55). She contrasts impersonal social platforms with more intimate communication tools like WhatsApp, which she finds preserves the sense of personal connection necessary for feeling at home. Emanuele shares a differing perspective, appreciating how apps like WhatsApp reshape emotional connections within the household, essentially allowing homes to extend beyond geographical boundaries (23:41).

Sharing and Expanding the Concept of Home

The conversation culminates in an exploration of communal home experiences. While Emanuele reminisces about the vibrant social life associated with Coco Chanel’s La Pausa, Lupita expresses a preference for maintaining tranquility within her personal space despite her social nature. However, she acknowledges the importance of sharing her home with friends to make it feel complete: “I really love to welcome my friends into my home because in doing so, they create more home for me” (25:31). This exchange highlights the delicate balance between personal sanctuary and the enriching presence of loved ones.

Conclusion

The inaugural episode of Season 5 of CHANEL Connects offers a profound exploration of the multifaceted concept of home through the intimate and philosophical dialogue between Lupita Nyong’o and Emanuele Coccia. Their conversation traverses personal experiences, philosophical insights, and the impact of nature and technology on our sense of belonging. Set within the inspiring environment of La Pausa, this episode sets a reflective and thought-provoking tone for the season, inviting listeners to contemplate their own definitions and experiences of home.

Notable Quotes

• "Your house is not like the walls and the roof. It's a set of objects or persons or dogs that you need to have close to you." – Emanuele Coccia (02:37)
• "Social media robs me of my feeling of home." – Lupita Nyong’o (20:55)
• "Every time you’re making home, you are reproducing, creating a new world." – Emanuele Coccia (12:17)
• "My garden is an expression of what is already happening in the region that's." – Lupita Nyong’o (17:20)

Looking Ahead

Listeners can anticipate a season rich with diverse perspectives from luminaries across various disciplines. The next episode features ballerina Francesca Hayward in conversation with artist and painter Allison Katz, continuing the exploration of creativity and the environments that nurture it.

Availability

CHANEL Connects is available to listen on Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to stay updated with weekly releases starting July 16.