After the chic Cruise 2025 show at Marseille’s Cité Radieuse, Chanel’s latest collection by Virginie Viard has landed in Asia, taking over the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) as its second stage. This architectural landmark, the first major structure in Hong Kong designed by a French architect, provided the ideal backdrop for Viard’s vision, where urban modernity meets maritime elegance. The futuristic building by Coldefy & Associés Architectes Urbanistes (CAAU) mirrors the Cité Radieuse’s bold design with its towering glass columns, steel structure, and floating platform symbolizing a “blank page,” a nod to Chanel’s commitment to reinvention.
Chanel’s Cruise 2025 collection is a celebration of seafaring life with a high-fashion twist. From shimmering sequin jackets for evening outings to beach-ready flatform sandals, straw hats, and intricately embroidered scuba-inspired hoods, each piece radiates a relaxed, yet elevated, seaside charm. It’s a nod to Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy of reshaping women’s wear, while also drawing inspiration from Le Corbusier’s transformative architectural vision.
For this Hong Kong show, Chanel tapped award-winning French director Audrey Diwan to create a short film titled Modern Flirt. Starring Angela Yuen and Benjamin Voisin, the film weaves a narrative of mystery and attraction, underscoring the collection’s allure. Through Diwan’s cinematic lens, Modern Flirt brought an extra layer of storytelling, blending fashion with film in an homage to French sophistication and modern-day glamour.
The collection spotlights versatile wardrobe essentials for the perfect vacation. Beach-ready looks include crochet cardigans worn over swimwear, shorts paired with sleeveless leather tops, and straw boater hats for a playful edge. The collection also featured sangallo lace sets and terrycloth-inspired robe coats, merging function and elegance in a way that feels quintessentially Chanel.
For evening wear, flowing cotton dresses and jewel-encrusted swimsuits became focal points, styled with layered pearls, charm bracelets, and Robespierre-inspired bow blouses. A standout piece? The iconic double C logo, worn like a decorative purse—a Chanel hallmark that reimagines tradition in new, unexpected ways. And, of course, the beloved Chanel tweed returns in vibrant greens, yellows, and classic black and white, paired with oversized netted necklaces adorned with marine charms like starfish and shells.
Translucent elements, such as metallic leather shorts and chic bucket bags, rounded out the collection, capturing the reflective beauty of the sea and sky. Each piece in the Chanel Cruise 2025 line is a reminder of the maison’s storied legacy and Viard’s unique ability to bridge classic Chanel codes with contemporary inspirations, transporting us to a world where the elegance of city and sea collide seamlessly.
