When we talk about Marseille, bicycle races, football matches, and water sports come to mind. A multicultural portal, the southern French city has always been a holiday destination but never a fashion capital. At least, not until Chanel brought its Cruise 2024/25 collection to the rooftop of the Unesco World Heritage site, Cité Radieuse.
“The sun, architecture, music, and dance: Marseille also has a very strong sense of freedom. 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,” explains Virginie Viard for her final Chanel collection. Fitting aptly into the port city, the collection is heavily influenced by the sea and water sports. Starting strong, the first look features diving hoods paired with Chanel’s signature tweed jacket and later, with dresses furnished with 60s-esque collars.
Swimwear—in tweed or neoprene-like texture, embroidered and adorned with bows—played a main role in creating the main tune of the collection. Elsewhere, bloomers, briefs, tunics, petticoats, and bodices are decorated with ladder lace and broderie anglaise patchworks, calling for a meridional vacation. Sprinkling some fun into the deep-sea adventure, the collection is ornate with underwater-themed embroideries, fishnet-like mesh tops, and whimsical nautical jewellery. Silver fabric and sequins too, were used to outline and trace the silvery and amber radiance dazzling upon the rippled surface of the sea.
Capturing the essence of the Mediterranean coast of France perfectly, the Cruise collection also features a vivid summery colour palette that mimics the colour of the rich habitat, along with grid motifs and geometric patterns that echo the historical venue. In addition to that, athletic elements such as running shorts with embroidered braids, tweed cycling shorts and oversized jackets also paint the city—crowned with various sports achievements—in its true colour.
The sunny sojourn continues in the Cruise 2024/25 collection campaign, with warmth oozing through the lens of Jamie Hawkesworth. The main character of the campaign, Loli-Bahia’s gait portrays the collection—a fusion of the elegancy and the sporty attitude—seamlessly. Across the images, the model exudes an insouciance and jaunty allure, as she poses in the balmy Mediterranean weather and setting. Recreating the style Gabrielle Chanel is renowned for—ivory poplin and lace top, topped with the straw boater hats—the campaign encapsulates the free spirit and the effervescence of today’s Chanel woman.
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