Under the sea with Chanel's Cruise 2027 collection Matthieu Blazy takes us back to the 1920s and the seaside atmosphere of Biarritz

In 1919, Gabrielle Chanel wanted to create a collection of simple yet elegant summer garments for her clients who went on vacation to Biarritz and could not wear their city clothes: this is how the Cruise collections were born. And in the Cruise 2027 collection that Matthieu Blazy presented today for Chanel right in Biarritz, it seemed as if the romantic atmosphere of that time was returning. The collection was perhaps the first of the new Blazy era at Chanel to bring, in addition to a certain flair, also a more colorful and evocative sense of fantasy. All the colors, the shapes of the garments and accessories, both directly and indirectly, recalled the idea of the beach and maritime life: the cruise inspiration was, for once, taken literally.

The collection opened with a very faithful reinterpretation of the celebrated petite robe noire with a very modern update: in the original 1926 sketch, the large bow on the back was not visible, and today that bow, often removed from historical memory, is transformed into a clutch. In the press notes, it is emphasized that the petite robe noire was actually the elevation of a practical dress worn by the working women of the time, whether shop assistants, governesses or students in the convent. From this starting point, Blazy expands the scope of his inspiration to all French-style workwear with cotton canvases, denim and textures made from the most compact fabrics.

Obviously, the superb tweeds for which the brand is synonymous are not missing, but lightened in colors and patterns inspired by leisure time, as well as a very imaginative use of the double C logo that transforms into Art Deco-style graphics. But the best part of the collection is the one that follows the marine inspiration: earrings like sculpted seashells, coral-red dresses, a skirt with a red and white pattern reminiscent of the skin of certain tropical fish and, finally, the final ensembles in blue and orange that turned the models into real mermaids. Even the beach atmospheres were not overlooked, with midi dresses with waist belts and high boots that made very modern logoed swimming caps and a fun oversized straw bag as big as the model wearing it.

Having reached Blazy’s fifth collection for Chanel in just six months, the creative director seems to be entering more and more into the spirit of the brand. Perhaps thanks to the lighter nature of Cruise collections, this latest creative endeavor is more agile and fresher than the ready-to-wear collections that are dominating in stores, and more immediate than the complex and weighty Haute Couture collections and Métiers d'art. The new trajectory of the brand, in short, seems solid and well-established: it will only be a matter of understanding, after the seaside holidays, where Blazy will want to take us for the next destination.