Chanel cruise collection

Summer is the season that usually throws us out of our monotone daily cycle; it is the time for colors, voyages and why not…a new fashion collection? Recently, even designers, step out of the regular ready-to-wear cycle and bring us to a place of fantasia right before the sun becomes too hot for us to bear. Last year, for Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel, the place was Saint Tropez. Not even this year, did the designer leave the beloved French Riviera, he just moved the show at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden Roc in Antibes, the playground of the rich since the 1920s.

For the uninitiated, a designer’s ‘cruise’ collection is a selection of summery clothes available in winter just in case one wants to hop on a yacht to the Caribbean and leave the fur at home.

Shooting stars, feathers, and pins from the fine jewelry collection were attached to the shoulders and necklines of the classic Chanel suits. These were the diamonds of the collection that Karl kept mentioning. Mimosa yellow and lavender were the vivid colors used, reminding us of the blooming flowers of the South of France, basically transforming the runway into a garden.

The show continued in Lagerfeld’s typical narrative line, only more revealing, swimsuits along with black and white cashmere wraps invaded the runway.

Overall, the collection was 30’s inspired, introducing palazzo pants, dropped waist dresses, gowns, floral and beads. When it comes to accessories, the designer used 90 exquisite pieces of Chanel Haute Joaillerie, but also knee-length sandal boots that injected a modern twist.

The lucky guests were surprised with an after show concert and a 30 minutes film, “The tale of a fairy”. For now, we are left starring at the beautiful pictures, imagining they are postcards from a randez-vous of an overseas voyage.