Lake Como plays muse for Chanel’s Cruise 2025/26 showcase

Traditions are meant to be continued and embraced with all heart, and names like Chanel follow it like a norm. What commenced as Gabrielle Chanel’s need to dabble into the notion of resort wear in 1919, the maison’s first Cruise Show, continues to paint an aesthetically pleasing portrait of vacations in our heads even today.

A glimpse of that teaser by Sofia Coppola, with the scenic view, was enough for me to envision that Lake Como, Italy, was laying down the memo for those terrific tweeds and delicate tulles for Chanel this time. That teaser may have been a means of awakening our vacation mode, but what came after was another one of Chanel’s episodes of bringing the old-world charm into fruition. Headed by Matthieu Blazy, the Chanel Cruise Collection 2025/26 inhaled all of Lake Como’s picturesque charm, Hotel Villa d’Este’s vintage value and the summer warmth, only to exhale a line of chic and easy yet prim and proper looks embodying the French finesse.

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance”—something believed by Coco Chanel and continues to stay alive in the brand’s ethos even today, the latest cruise show being the subject of the authority. Existing in harmony with Hotel Villa d’Este’s subtle hues and peaceful aura, the collection saw signature tweeds, mild metallics, sequined details, tailored fits, bustier dresses, and hints of floral patterns peeping through an ivory palette. Blushed pinks, orange, lilacs, butter yellow, and a tease of black and reds were some of the many hues curating the mood for this year’s Cruise collection.

Gracing the sunny afternoon were some of the A-listers basking in the sun of Lake Como and the beauty of Chanel—Keira Knightley, Anna Mouglalis, Lupita Nyong’o, Margaret Qualley, and the newly announced ambassador of the brand, Bollywood fame Ananya Panday. The charming destination blended well with Matthieu Blazy’s vision, delivering a show running on loop in our heads, manifested by our wardrobes, and falling in love with Italy all over again.

All images: Chanel

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