Matthieu Blazy Debuts His First Chanel Cruise Collection in Biarritz

The 2027 cruise shows have officially commenced, which means the fashion world is embarking on a world tour as top brands present their midseason offerings in some of the globe’s most glamorous locations. Chanel kicked things off (and set the bar high) on April 28 with a show in Biarritz, France. There, Nicole Kidman, Tilda Swinton, A$AP Rocky, and Sofia Coppola sat front row at Le Casino Municipal to take in designer Matthieu Blazy’s debut cruise offering.

Not only is the seaside town picturesque, it also holds an important place in fashion history. In 1915, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel opened the maison’s first-ever couture house in the Basque city, thus setting forth a new proposition for modern dressing. In fact, it’s been said that Coco created the idea of resort collections when she launched a line in 1919, inspired by the women of Biarritz. In homage to the Mademoiselle herself, Blazy opened with a version of Chanel’s original little black dress, grounding the collection in one of the brand’s most radical inventions. “Much is said about the revenge dress, this might be the original one,” he stated in the show’s notes. From there, he expanded outward, presenting a collection that oscillated between whimsy (see: fishtail mermaid gowns, “heel cap” shoes that left the foot almost completely bare, and one enormous beach tote) and the classics (black tweeds, smart florals, and mariner stripes) thus presenting options for both dreamers and purists.

While Chanel is sticking to its home country of France, most other brands are taking their cruise collections to the United States this year. Demna has chosen New York as the setting for his first Gucci cruise show. Like Biarritz and Chanel, the Big Apple plays a part in Gucci’s history: it’s where the brand opened the first store outside of Italy in 1953, setting the stage for global expansion. Louis Vuitton, similarly, will hold its show in New York. Jonathan Anderson, meanwhile, who is presenting his first resort show for Dior, will be staging his presentation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s newly opened David Geffen Galleries. It seems that before soccer takes over North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, fashion is paving the way. And while you can’t buy tickets to a fashion show, you can admire the clothes from afar. Here, a look at all the highlights of the cruise season. Check back often as we track the latest and greatest to hit the runways.