Chanel has unveiled its latest campaign to mark the launch of its Cruise 2023/2024 collection, expanding on the show’s dreamy Californian homage.
Shot by the iconic photographic duo Inez & Vinoodh, the campaign opens with a lapsing LA sunset. Fresh and nostalgic all at once, the focus merges with tableaus of balmy evenings and sunny afternoons by the Venice Beach seaside. Models Anna Ewers and Loli Bahia are poised against Palm trees and blue skies with their Chanel-emblazoned paraphernalia—think surfboards with the double ‘C’ logo, basketballs and a mustard yellow truck boasting a ‘CHANEL’ number plate. Clips are cut with views of a rollerblading Stav Ben Zur as she tosses around her sunkissed hair in hotpants and Chanel legwarmers.
Just as the show leaned into the dreamscape of Los Angeles, a place where dreamers roll in from around the world to catch their big break, the campaign harkens back to a golden age where Hollywood glamour and coastal ease come together.
Within the clip, a lamé top is worn under the emblematic two-tone cardigan. The shimmer of a jacket swathed in gold sequins and hemmed in pink plays with the shine of leather trousers and a little black satin dress studded with stars. A jacket in iridescent pale yellow tweed sits above a long skirt in pink and white stripes, while mini shorts and a bustier in pastel tweed are revealed beneath an oversized coat falling nonchalantly off the shoulders. The collection pays tribute to the dynamic Californian lifestyle and gives retro athleisure a Parisian twist.
“The Cruise collection campaign combines the two worlds of Los Angeles: the old-world glamour of the Hollywood movies we love and the health-conscious colourful sporty vibe of Venice Beach,” explain the photographers. “Loli and Anna embody both worlds dressed in the high-style evening-focused looks of Virgie’s collection while on the basketball courts and surf sports along the Venice boardwalk.”
Coinciding with opening its largest US boutique in Beverly Hills, Chanel revealed its Cruise 2023/2024 collection in May at the legendary film studio Paramount Pictures. Holding such a deep connection with Hollywood, from dressing film stars since the 1920s to its affiliations with Tribeca Film Festival and the world’s biggest movie stars, the French house is perfectly at home in the City of Angels.
Putting on a carnival for guests like Margot Robbie, Kristen Stewart and Issa Rae with food trucks, ice cream and an abundance of cocktails, the show was a festive ode to the playful collection. On the runway, Virginie Viard delivered a slew of chic beachwear looks, glitzy takes on the Californian uniform (denim cut-offs), and hyper-feminine takes on the laidback aesthetic found along Venice Beach. The ’80s certainly had a presence in both preppy looks and Jane Fonda-style legwarmers. Sparkle was a prominent fixture across the board, with most looks rendered in bright pastels and rich gem tones to balance the ostentatious glamour.
Watch the full campaign video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fdXCVc4iqs?si=M5_n_tEmH6b4iojB]
