May and June are the two months we see Cruise Shows hit the catwalks. But what exactly are these collections that flood the internet in between the two main ready-to-wear shows of the year? You may have noticed this is not something every fashion house does, we mainly see the crème de la crème of fashion take the runway this season. Houses with strong legacies such as Chanel or Louis Vuitton create ‘these in-between’ shows.
Where did Cruise collections come from?
These interim shows that we know as Resort collections or Cruise collections originally started as designs for the wealthy cruise guests who would go on vacation needing a whole new wardrobe mid-season to travel to other climates globally. As stores would currently be filled with winter coats and autumn boots, the Cruise collections were born.
The clue is in the title, these collections are your holiday wardrobe for all your round to live your finest, vacay life. When you think of Resort Shows think of relaxed silhouettes, lightweight fabrics, and statement swimsuits. Whatever you need to soak in the sun in style on holiday, these collections have.
Cruise collections are also a great opportunity for fashion houses such as Gucci or Dior to really charm their global consumers who consistently travel or live in sunny climates all year round. Let’s not forget these huge fashion empires have clients worldwide. It gives designers a chance to take a step back from the traditional runway and really run away with their vision.
Where are these collections shown?
As cruise collections focus on holiday mode and resort wear, it’s no wonder that many fashion houses also adapted their locations to suit this. It’s extremely common now for brands to show their Cruise collections across the globe in luxurious and extravagant destinations. There are a lot fewer restrictions when it comes to these shows compared to the main fashion weeks in the 4 capitals. Not tied to strict industry-regulated fashion month schedules or locations, these fashion houses can really explore what they wish, just like Fendi’s Great Wall of China extravaganza.
In today’s generation of hindered attention spans and excessive consumption, gone are the days where bi-annual shows are enough to stay relevant. With increasing fast-fashion competition, the Cruise shows allow luxury fashion brands to inject an entirely new must-have mid-season collection into the market.
2023 Cruise Collections
This year’s Cruise catwalk just began with the one and only Chanel show opening the season. Mademoiselle Chanel was actually the first designer to introduce Resort collections back in 1919 for her society bunch.
Making its well-anticipated return to Monte Carlo Riviera, a location loved dearly by Karl Lagerfeld. Not only was the location chosen with great thought, but also the date. Can you guess? While it is no surprise that the renowned fashion house opened the season, it was all done with pure intent.
Gabrielle Chanel was extremely superstitious. Apparently a trait the house still carries today. So, the date held was 5/5/22. What meaning could this possibly have? Well, we all know No.5, when you think Chanel, you think 5. As Coco was a Leo, (the fifth sign of the zodiac) the famous No.5 was born, which will forever be synonymous with the luxury house. The house’s signature number makes sense, but why 22? Guess the name of the newest Chanel (to die for) bag, yep the 22 bag. Be sure, the most prestigious fashion house makes no choice by accident.
So what can we expect for the rest of the season? So far we know that Louis Vuitton is actually held today…
May 12th: Louis Vuitton at The Salk Institute of San Diego
May 16th: Gucci at Castel Del Monte, Italy
May 21st: Balenciaga at New York (Their first-ever show out of Paris)
June 16th: Dior at Plaza de España in Seville, Spain
June 28th: Max Mara at Lisbon, Portugal
