Chanel is bringing its cruise collection back to France, with Marseille as the chosen destination for its spring 2025 show on May 2. The luxury fashion brand, led by creative director Virginie Viard, aims to celebrate the vibrant energy and cultural richness of Marseille, expressing excitement about stopping over in a city that embraces diverse cultures.
Although the exact location of the show wasn’t specified, Chanel has a history of connecting with the South of France and the French Riviera. In 2022, the cruise collection graced Monaco at the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel, while in the previous year, the Carrières de Lumières in Baux-de-Provence hosted the event.
Chanel’s ties to maritime themes are evident in its past shows, like the descent of models from an ocean liner named La Pausa in 2018. This reflects Gabrielle Chanel’s fascination with the maritime world and the brand’s core principles. Even the recent Spring/Summer 2024 collection drew inspiration from the Villa Noailles in Hyères and its hanging Mediterranean gardens.
The tradition of cruise collections dates back to 1919 when Gabrielle Chanel introduced a mid-season line in her Biarritz boutique for customers frequenting seaside resorts and yachting. Karl Lagerfeld revived the cruise collection in the 1980s at Chanel, presenting silhouettes at the end of spring, anticipating the upcoming summer. The concept gained momentum in the fashion industry, with annual fashion shows becoming the norm from the 2000s onwards.
