“The sun, architecture, music and dance: Marseille also has a very strong sense of freedom. I was inspired by the codes of lifestyle, of everyday life and by all the things that invite movement. The sea and the wind made me want to play with wetsuits,” explains Virginie Viard.
Diving hoods with press studs are thus about to become part of the House’s repertoire, starting with the jacket of an aniseed-green CHANEL suit, or on the collar of dresses reminding of the sixties. Drawing on the thread of her underwater reverie, Virginie Viard takes her Cruise collection on a deep-sea adventure: embroideries including little fish in love, fishing nets, shells and shellfish punctuate dresses, suit jackets, waistcoats, faille blouses, T-shirts and little vest tops.
Meanwhile, back on the surface, silvery reflections from the sun, ripples and undulations of lines and shapes bring back memories of summer months spent by the pool. They appear on neoprene-like jerseys, tweeds and sequinned jackets, while other tweeds and jerseys pick up the colours, grid motifs or geometric shapes of the facades of surrounding habitats, for a long dress, tunics and even embroidered pockets.
In addition to its hood and press studs, the collection revisits the classic traits of the sweatshirt, offering its own version in fish-printed chiffon. Its kangaroo pocket features on a sleeveless checked dress with a hood and a sheath dress. Running Bermuda shorts trimmed with embroidered braid, tweed cycling shorts and oversized jackets complete a collection that embraces the dynamics of movement. The same wind of freedom blows over a white flounced skirt and a floral-embroidered sheath dress.
Swimwear is also on the agenda. With bloomers, briefs and side-opening dresses, the collection is in a summery mood, as demonstrated by the waffle fabric skirts, petticoats and bodices in ivory ladder lace and patchworks of broderie anglaise. Footwear includes terry towelling flip-flops with platform soles.
Shouldered peacoats in white or black and white, and black patent shoes pay tribute to menswear. The collection also plays with layering: shirt collars, French cuffs and jackets are worn over or under other jackets and outfits. The little black dress is revisited here with the bustier in jersey with straps and the top of a swimsuit embroidered with little flowers.
“Marseille is a city that puts me in touch with my emotions. I tried to capture its power of attraction, its breath of fresh air, and to convey the energy that reigns there. And you couldn’t ask for a better backdrop to a runway show than the Cité radieuse.”
