"Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions." – Coco Chanel
It was an overcast afternoon in Marseille on Thursday, the blustery aftermath of a small storm still lingering in the sky as guests – including RUSSH editor-in-chief Jess Blanch – made their way to the rooftop of MAMO, Centre d’art de la Cité radieuse for this year's 2024/2025 CHANEL Cruise show.
With 360-degree views of Marseille around them, the weather, the setting and the collection on show came together in what felt like an apt homage to the House's savoire-faire – one "carried by a wind of freedom" CHANEL said.
The location...
The coastal township of Marseille, situated in the Provence region of southern France, has long been a place of significance for the House of CHANEL – ever since the Maison showed their CHANEL exhibition there in 1989, under the impetus of Maryline Bellieud-Vigouroux. In Versaille, CHANEL's Autumn 14 Couture Collection in Versaille also credited Le Corbusier as an inspiration.
The Cruise 2024/25 show location was the roof of MAMO (short for MArseille MOdulor), the art centre than now lives on the rooftop of Cité Radieuse – one of the flagship mid-century building projects from architect Le Corbusier.
For those unfamiliar, Cité Radieuse was an extensive apartment complex built in the late 1940s by the pioneering architect – one which spearheaded our movement toward vertical living. Over the course of three years, and under the direction of designer Ora Ito, the building re-opened in 2013 as an art gallery – MAMO. It is one of the 17 buildings listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The production...
The location had proposed a challenge for CHANEL – they were forced to work exclusively with existing décor, and navigate the living, breathing nature of a building that still hosts residents, cafes and offices. There were 1500 people who worked on the show; more than half of them from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
The models...
There were plenty of fresh and familiar faces on the runway this season, including some RUSSH favourites Loli Bahia, Jill Kortleve, Akon Changkou and Australian faces Bibi Breslin and Angelina Kendall.
The guests...
There were plenty of CHANEL's alumni and ambassadors in attendance at the show, including Charlotte Casiraghi, Phoebe Tonkin, Anamaria Vartolomei and Lily-Rose Depp. Behind the scenes, the House tapped Caroline de Maigret to go on air with Radio CHANEL ,a special programme broadcast on the day of the Cruise 2024/25 show.
The looks...
The French Maison's latest collection under creative director Virginie Viard was described as an "underwater reverie" in press notes; one that contained "reflections of the sun through embroideries, diving hoods, sequinned jackets and swimwear". But while the sun itself did not make an appearance for the outdoor showing, the garments brought plenty of brightness to the afternoon.
House codes like tweed suiting and oversized pearl necklaces took cues from diving gear with coastal attire – from crochet cardigans to zippered, hooded dresses that mimic diving suits. The palette heroed neon greens, blues and pinks against a backdrop of greys and beige neutrals that felt drawn from the building's architecture, and the day's overcast ambiance.
