Take a trip to Monaco with Chanel's Virginie Viard for Chanel Cruise 22/23. “To me, Monaco is a matter of feelings above all." Viard said in a press release upon the collection's release. "That’s Karl, Caroline, Charlotte, from very early on, I knew we would hold a show there, and more precisely at the Beach Hotel. Besides, Karl was dreaming about it. From this magnificent venue, one can glimpse his villa, La Vigie. I will never forget the times I spent there: terraces and balconies, big umbrellas, baskets of flowers - so much beauty.”

Behind the scenes, shared here exclusively for RUSSH, the backstage energy is captured along the seaside, giving way to the details of the house's unmistakable savoir-faire and craftsmanship. Here, Kiki Willems is adorned in strings of beads, wearing a floral tank top embellished with sequins. Tweed bags are slung low over shoulders while others are shaped like tennis racquet cases, jewellery is strung over necklines, some reading "CHANEL" with rainbow rhinestones, others as miniature bags, strung up by leather chains to mimic bag straps.

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“A sporty atmosphere, but not only. There are lots of tweed or silk jumpsuits lined with light terry cloth. Many sequins and flowers shape embroidered plastrons adorning thinly striped long shirt-dresses with white high collars – a nod to Karl –, a sequined midnight blue dress, or backless tops worn over wide-cut trousers.” Viard notes of the collection.

Nods to what we can only assume is the Grand Prix, most famed in Monaco, were there too, with silk dresses printed with racing flags and tiny CC's. In one image, Viard herself adjusts a ruched pink belt on a model.

“The first time I saw Caroline was on the beach in Monaco. She was wearing a draped black dress, very thin tights and heels,” recalls
Viard. “Monaco is inherent to the history of CHANEL. We have lived so many happy moments there.”

To recap on the Chanel Cruise 22/23 show, watch the full runway video, below.