The month of May has been quite busy for the Chanel crew. The iconic French brand has been living the American dream this month with its staging of the Met’s new Costume Institute exhibit honoring longtime creative director Karl Lagerfeld, dressing a host of celebrities for the Met Gala, including house ambassadors Penélope Cruz and Blackpink’s Jennie, and opening a brand-new 30,000 square foot store in Beverly Hills. Chanel stayed on the West Coast for its resort 2024 show and debuted a Venice-meets-Left Bank collection that focused more on fun than conventional “Hollywood” looks.
On a Tuesday night, the quintessential French brand commandeered the Paramount Pictures Studios site to present its newest cruise line. When visitors arrived, they were greeted by a queue of food trucks selling pizza, falafel, and other casual meals, which immediately gave away the event’s lighter nature. Laughing celebrities could be seen on the jumbotron while a local radio station played over the loudspeakers, and a huge scoreboard appeared to be hinting at a roller derby. A runway for a roller rink was constructed on the movie set near the water tower. An avant-garde, mesmerizing movie in the style of Harmony Korine loomed over the event, showing models working out between monochromatic vistas of palm trees and the sky. The scoreboard displayed a running list of the models and nearly announced them like players in the starting lineup.
The brand didn’t skimp on anything when showcasing its newest collection, which was packed with Chanel’s hallmark codes many of which were modernized with different twists thanks to rhinestones, sequins, and joyful color combinations outside of Chanel’s renownedly monochromatic palette. The decades took the central stage, ranging from the glitz of the 1920s and 1930s to the beat of the 1970s and 1980s. Parades of short pink suits, leather tracksuits, board shorts, and cutout swimwear often worn with leg warmers seemed well-suited to California’s fitness-obsessed way of life. There was a lot of sparkle for the award season and Hollywood premieres. Palm trees were everywhere, a skateboard was carried by one of the models, and a few surfboards were strapped to the roof of a VW van purse.
Chanel is famed for its timeless black and white designs, but the Cruise runway focused more on a rainbow of colors, sparkling embellishments, and prints and motifs with an ’80s influence. Unveiled just in time to see who would be seen at the forthcoming Cannes Film Festival, standout designs included rich metallic robes and exquisite eveningwear with the twenties silhouettes. Various playful motifs appeared on numerous items some literal, others metaphorical such as palm trees, gold squares, black and gold chevrons, disco balls, milkshakes, roller skates, and sunsets with accessories made of metallic leathers, rhinestones, and ombré shading. Even the shoes had block light-up heels, ensuring that each model had their limelight. Viard threw her net from the PCH to Sunset Boulevard and caught every LA girl we know and love, from the Santa Monica skater girl to the Barbie-core Rodeo Drive beauty. Chanel ambassadors Kristen Stewart, Marion Cotillard, and Margot Robbie, as well as Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rashida Jones, Paris Hilton, Camila Morrone, Kris Jenner, Lily Collins, Rose Byrne, Lil Nas X, and a host of other celebrities attended the event.