Chanel Cruise 2025: Urban Ease Meets Mediterranean Edge In Marsielle
For Cruise 2025, Virginie Viard left behind the polished polish of Paris and descended into the wild elegance of Marseille. Chanel’s latest runway unfolded on the rooftop of Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse, a concrete icon that loomed like a ship above the sea. With the wind rattling through corridors and the scent of salt in the air, the scene could not have been more fitting. This was not a fantasy of luxury. It was luxury lived in.
Marseille is not a city that wears makeup. It is honest and sun-washed, gritty in the most romantic way. Viard channeled that energy directly into the collection. There were no ballgowns, no overt references to heritage. Instead, this was Chanel filtered through the lens of utility, movement, and sea-weathered ease. A collection for women who are going somewhere, whether or not they tell you where.
A Study in Softness
The collection opened with a familiar rhythm. Tweed jackets and pearls made their expected appearance, but they looked different here. Softer, lighter, worn like second skin instead of armor. Soon, things began to drift. Crochet skirts, swimwear styled as outerwear, and towel-textured separates brought a sense of immediacy. These were not pieces for posing. They were pieces for living.
The silhouettes relaxed with intention. Trapeze dresses swayed with the wind. Bloomers peeked out beneath oversized knits. Bermuda shorts appeared both on their own and layered under tailored jackets. Viard favored garments that moved, that whispered rather than shouted. The effect was intimate. Nothing felt over-designed. Everything felt touched by the sun.
Color, Texture, and Play
The color palette was quiet but complex. Muted corals, dove gray, shell pink, soft navy, and chalky whites set the tone. There was nothing artificial about these colors. They felt like they had been faded naturally, worn by sea spray and softened by time.
Texture did the heavy lifting. Neoprene-look jerseys nodded to wetsuits, while terry cloth and waffle-knit sets hinted at post-swim rituals. Pearls, shells, and netted embroidery added marine references without leaning into kitsch. Jewelry hung loose, as if thrown on without thought. Even the tailoring looked effortless.
It was the kind of styling that women will copy because it looked like no one tried at all.
Marseille as Muse
Viard described being inspired by “the sea, the wind, and the codes of everyday life.” That spirit ran through the entire show. This wasn’t about escapism in the usual sense. It was about presence. The idea that luxury can exist in the midst of salt and sand. That elegance can be spontaneous.
There were moments of glamour, but they never took center stage. Instead, Viard leaned into practicality. Swimwear was treated as foundation pieces. Flat sandals grounded even the dressiest looks. Some pieces resembled things you might find in a stylish woman’s suitcase after a weekend away. Others looked like they had already lived a story.
The Chanel Woman, Reimagined
If recent seasons have flirted with minimalism, Cruise 2025 commits to it fully. Not in an austere or cold way, but with a confidence that doesn’t require embellishment. The Chanel woman is not standing still this season. She is walking down to the beach. She is on the ferry. She is out to dinner with sand still on her feet.
This shift feels right. In a world that is growing tired of spectacle, Viard offers something personal. A collection that lets the wearer speak, rather than the brand. It is Chanel without the noise. And that makes it all the more powerful.
Cruise 2025 marks a turning point. Viard proves that Chanel can be modern without losing its soul. That softness and substance can exist in the same garment. That a terry cloth jacket, worn on a Marseille rooftop, can carry the same weight as a couture gown.
This was not a show about fantasy. It was about freedom. The freedom to wear what you want. The freedom to move. The freedom to be elegant without explanation.
