Chanel Cruise 2025 Finds A Home In Singapore

In the heart of Marseille, a city shaped by the rhythm of the Mediterranean waters, Chanel and Virginie Viard presented their Cruise 2025 collection. The oldest city in France—known for its vibrant mix of cultures, industrial grit, and sun-drenched coastal charm—provided the ideal backdrop for a lineup that celebrated the interplay between duality and freedom.

The chosen show location was Cité Radieuse (The Radiant City), an architectural masterpiece designed by the visionary Le Corbusier in the late 1940s. Referred to as a “vertical garden city”, the building was conceived as a harmonious space where residential, commercial, and communal functions coexist—a town within a town.

Today, this UNESCO World Heritage site still thrives as a living monument to Le Corbusier’s vision, complete with 337 apartments, a hotel, shops, a cinema, a kindergarten and a rooftop terrace. Its bold, Brutalist concrete façade, punctuated by playful pops of colour, set the stage for a collection that mirrors the building’s balance between rawness and refinement.

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Port of Call: Urban Elegance

The show opened with a bold juxtaposition: A grey sweatshirt hood emerging from the collar of a lime-green tweed jacket. This unexpected pairing of casual athleticism with one of Chanel’s house codes set the tone for a collection that revels in contrast and contemporary ease.

The third look continued this exploration of opposites: A two-piece fantasy tweed ensemble, in vibrant grids of colours reminiscent of the architectural accents of Cité Radieuse, featured a sweatshirt hood and sleeves and was complemented by a matching tweed flap bag. Viard’s reinterpretation of the maison’s iconic tweed jacket invites a fresh perspective on a classic, infusing it with urban energy.

A Reflection of Dualities

Marseille and Singapore may be geographically distant, but as port cities, they share a deep connection through their histories of transformation. Both cities are defined by their maritime roots—Marseille by the Mediterranean and Singapore on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, along major shipping routes that have contributed to their growth.

In both cities, opposites coexist and enrich their respective identities. Whether it’s the Brutalist architecture of the Cité Radieuse that contrasts beautifully with the Mediterranean Sea or Singapore’s modern skyline nestled within its lush green setting, the urban-coastal duality was translated into numerous looks: the tweed-sweatshirt ensembles, embroidered Bermuda shorts and sleeveless dresses that featured a kangaroo pocket. 

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An Underwater Reverie

The Mediterranean Sea, a vital part of Marseille’s identity, played a significant role in shaping Cruise 2025’s narrative. Known for its rich sailing culture, and as the host of this year’s Olympic sailing events, the sea informed the motifs, textures, and accessories that appeared throughout the show.

Layered necklaces evoked the texture of fishing nets that have hauled in their catch of the day: anchors, starfish, and fish, all nestled alongside double-C logos and miniature N°5 bottles. In one standout look, a cashmere sweater embroidered to resemble the sun’s reflection on a turquoise-blue ocean surface, was paired with tweed cycling shorts, capturing the movement of light on water.

Summer was in the air with white broderie anglaise pieces that emerged in flouncy skirts, petticoats and side-opening dresses. Whimsical touches came through in floaty chiffon ensembles printed with colourful illustrations of fish, adding a sense of playful wonder to the otherwise sophisticated collection.

On the runway, models strutted in terry towelled flip flops and ‘scuba tuxedo’ loafers, shoes inspired by diving gear and reimagined with Chanel’s signature refinement. Metallic accessories shimmered like the Mediterranean sun reflecting off the concrete of Cité Radieuse, culminating in the statement mini metal minaudiere—a piece destined to become a collector’s item.

A Love Song to Marseille

Chanel’s Cruise 2025 is, in essence, a tribute to the multi-faceted nature of Marseille, a city where brutalist architecture meets the organic beauty of the sea. The 76-look lineup reflected the art de vivre of city-port life, embracing a youthful, adventurous spirit. As the collection makes its way to Singapore—another sun-soaked city shaped by its port—it feels perfectly at home.

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Model: Tanya M/AVE Management
Makeup: Rina Sim using Chanel Beauty
Hair: Yuhi Kim using Dungud Singapore and Woorailoora
Photographer’s assistants: Coby Travis Lazaroo, Kat Midori
Stylist’s assistant: Ynez Loh

In collaboration with Chanel