THE CRUISE collections for Chanel have become an emblem of rebellion at the historic French fashion house. It started in 2022 when it showed in Dakar, Senegal. In 2023, it headed north to Manchester.
And for 2024, the brand chose Marseille as its show location – the cooler, more diverse version of France’s capital.
“Marseille also has a very strong sense of freedom,” notes Virginie Viard, its creative director. “I was inspired by the codes of lifestyle, of everyday life and by all the things that invite movement. The sea and the wind made me want to play with wetsuits”.
And so Viard took to the seas for its Cruise collection. Despite the severe winds and downpours of rain, the clothes were meant for holiday shopping and allowed for its guests to look forward to the sunnier, dryer summer months ahead with swimwear cladding the collection out with one-pieces worthy of a lap of an Olympic pool with matching terry towel platform flip-flops and neoprene-like jerseys.
Injecting newness into the House, Viard debuted diving hoods with press studs that are noted as becoming a part of its ‘repertoire’, finding itself launching on aniseed green jackets of the classic Chanel suit and on the collars of 60’s inspired mini-dresses.
Taking the deep sea motif one step further, more obvious nods to the location were seen in fish net and shell embroidery punctuating vest tops, waistcoats and blouses.
With Viard clearing trying to bait the youth with the collection with her more urban, informal pieces like Bermuda shorts, sleeveless dresses with hoods, sweatshirts and oversized jackets, there were still looks that catered to her older clients.
Shouldered peacoats walked down the runway in contrasting whites and blacks, french cuffs adorned shirts and the little black dress came slightly bustier for the warmer season in a jersey material.
Finishing her show notes, Viard makes it clear that this new, more relaxed take on Cruise was down to the city that inspired it: “Marseille is a city that puts me in touch with my emotions. I tried to capture its power of attraction, its breath of fresh air, and to convey the energy that reigns there”.
by Imogen Clark