All about Gabrielle.
Biarritz this, Biarritz that… it seems Matthieu Blazy has officially caught the seaside bug. For his first CHANEL Cruise collection, the designer heads to the French coastal town that played a major role in Gabrielle Chanel’s story, opening her couture house there back in 1915. Fast-forward a century and the Atlantic breeze is back in the picture, this time inspiring a collection that swaps Parisian formality for something a little more laid-back. Shot by Alec Soth on Biarritz’s Grande Plage, the accompanying campaign brings the CHANEL wardrobe out of the salon and onto the sand, with models including Bhavitha Mandava, Anne Vyalitsyna and Ruyu Chen giving the whole thing a distinctly coastal feel.
As for the clothes, Blazy is having fun with the House codes, taking familiar signatures somewhere new. The little black dress gets a fresh outing, marking 100 years since its rise to fashion-icon status, while its original back bow is blown up into an oversized purse. The double C also gets more than just a logo moment, finding its way into the actual construction of pieces, from knitwear to bags and shoes. Think sun-washed canvas suits, sailor tops with trucker-style collars, easy silk separates and oversized overshirts, all mixed with nods to the Basque coast. Chili pepper jewellery, seaside stripes, tiny fish and crab buttons, raffia details and fish-scale-inspired sequins bring the fun, while supple tweeds, fluid silks and lightweight cashmere keep things feeling like the CHANEL that we are so into it.
PHOTO CREDIT: CHANEL
