Chanel has announced that it will unveil its Cruise 2026/27 collection on April 28, 2026, in the southwestern French seaside town of Biarritz. The location carries deep symbolic weight for the maison, as it is where Gabrielle Chanel established her first couture house more than a century ago.
In the official announcement, Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Chanel Fashion, commented: “Biarritz plays a fundamental role in the history of Chanel. We are delighted that Matthieu Blazy has chosen this destination, so dear to the house, to present his first vision of the cruise collection.”
As Pavlovsky notes, this show will mark creative director Matthieu Blazy’s first cruise collection for the house—one that will be presented in a setting closely tied to the origins of Chanel.
From Wartime Refuge to a Catalyst for Chanel’s Growth
During the 1910s, as World War I reshaped Europe, Gabrielle Chanel and her companion Arthur “Boy” Capel visited Biarritz, captivated by the light, breezy atmosphere of the Basque resort town. Long favored by Empress Eugénie, Biarritz had become a cosmopolitan destination attracting aristocrats, wealthy vacationers, and international social circles—an environment filled with opportunity for a young designer building her clientele.
In 1915, Chanel opened a boutique and atelier in the 19th-century Villa de Larralde, located on the hillside leading to the Grande Plage. The operation grew rapidly, employing several hundred artisans, and the success of this venture is believed to have provided crucial financial support for opening her landmark couture house at 31 rue Cambon in Paris.
For Chanel—who had already found success as a milliner in Paris and introduced a new way of dressing through jersey sportswear in Deauville—Biarritz became a “tailwind” that further propelled her spirit of innovation.
Biarritz and the Birth of the “Resort Collection”
In the late 1910s, Biarritz bustled with women leading dual lifestyles: energetic sporting activities by day and elegant social engagements by night. This rhythm demanded clothing that could transition effortlessly, and in 1919 Chanel introduced a special collection tailored for women spending their summers in the resort town. With fluid jersey dresses and stripped-down silhouettes, she proposed garments designed specifically for the “season in between seasons”—a concept widely considered the precursor to today’s cruise collections.
Biarritz’s free-spirited, sporty atmosphere would become an essential ingredient in Chanel’s aesthetic. This spirit is reflected even today in the maison’s fragrance “Paris–Biarritz,” which evokes the freshness and dynamism of the Atlantic coastline. The town’s unique blend of elegance and ease shaped the sense of movement and liberation that would become synonymous with Chanel style.
Far from being a mere historical footnote, Biarritz represents a key chapter connecting Chanel’s early breakthroughs, the emergence of resort wear, and the ongoing narrative of the maison.
As Major Luxury Houses Look to the U.S., Chanel Chooses to Return to Its Roots
Last week, Chanel staged its Métiers d’Art show in an abandoned New York City subway station—a production that drew significant acclaim for its atmosphere and theatricality.
At the same time, many luxury brands are intensifying their focus on the U.S. market as they seek renewed growth. In 2026, Dior will show its cruise collection in Los Angeles, while Gucci and Louis Vuitton have opted for New York.
Against this trend, Chanel’s decision to bring its cruise showcase back to France stands out. By selecting Biarritz—a place foundational to the maison’s identity—Chanel sends a powerful message: that the future of the house will continue to be written in dialogue with its origins.
Copyright © 2025 Oui Speak Fashion. All rights reserved.