The magic and magnetism of Hollywood have inspired countless dreams, creativity and collaborations since its inception. In fact, the great Coco Chanel herself made history in the City of Stars after being invited by notable film producer Samuel Goldwyn to give his movies a style makeover in the 1930s. It was during this time that the couturier left her mark in Tinseltown by dressing some of the biggest movie stars of the time—Gloria Swanson, Marlene Dietrich and Elizabeth Taylor.
The House of Chanel’s ties to Hollywood has remained strong until today, underscored by its close relationship with celebrity muses Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Stewart and Margot Robbie, to name a few. For Cruise 2024, the Maison spotlights its connection and contributions to filmmaking while taking inspiration from the laidback Californian beach beauty aesthetic. The result? A memorable grand-scale runway, held right in the middle of Paramount Studios in Los Angeles with Hollywood’s glitterati turning up in force.
If there’s one thing to be sure of, it’s that Chanel spares no expense when it comes to staging theatrical shows. This time, an empty lot at Paramount was transformed into a chic black Chanel-esque sports court, complete with a digital scoreboard and a mega-sized screen display. In terms of style, the West Coast is especially known for its sporty, athleisure characteristic, and one could right away guess the collection’s theme just by looking at the show set.
Of the show, Creative Director Virginie Viard shares in the show notes:
“Between a tribute to the glamour of great film stars and evoking the world of fun to be had with aerobics, sports and roller skating, between the dream on one hand and what you want to wear on the other, it’s all a question of balance.”
Before you skip to the collection photos, think of Jane Fonda’s original workout videos or perhaps Rose Byne’s character in Apple TV’s Physical—Viard’s collection is certainly an amalgamation of ’80s aerobics culture, casual California-girl beach vibe with the luxury codes of Chanel. Within the collection, cut-out swimwear, iridescent metallic leather, running shorts and rhinestone-covered jumpsuits styled with leg warmers emphasised the theme most.
Elsewhere, nuances of pink—in pastel, bubble gum and even fuschia—on evening dresses, tweed sets and casual pyjamas illuminate the entire show space. We also couldn’t help but think how apt the pieces were given that House muse Margot Robbie’s upcoming movie, Barbie, is set to be the biggest film of summer—think of all the possibilities of her press tour ‘fits!
And finally, with all Chanel collections, there were the emblematic black and white ensembles imbued with gold embroideries, eclectic prints and shimmering rhinestones that evoke the cinema’s halcyon age. Was the show a fitting representation of Hollywood glamour? We certainly think so. Watch the magic of the runway for yourself below:
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