Back home in Toronto, I’ve always known the first week of November to bring the initial inklings of a long winter: crisp air, shorter days, and perpetually cold hands. But this year, the first week of November was spent under the glorious Miami sun, to celebrate the second showing of CHANEL’s 2022/2023 Cruise collection.
Replica shows have been an addition to CHANEL’s already-packed lineup of 6 seasonal collections. They are ultimately an opportunity for CHANEL to further connect with a legion of friends and Ambassadors, and provide an immersive experience around the launch of a collection.
First shown in Monaco’s Monte Carlo Beach this past May, CHANEL’s 2022/2023 Cruise collection – adorned with embellished caps and checkerboard details – encompasses a cosmopolitan lifestyle flirting with an athletic aesthetic. This time around, the Faena Hotel in Miami was the show’s backdrop.
Designed by Baz Luhrmann – the director known for some of today’s most grandiose films – the Faena Hotel was just as comfortable as it was remarkable. Inside the hotel was murals and tapestries, and a leopard print-adorned lounge; and surrounding the property, a sprawling beach. For the show, red and white-striped umbrellas and cabanas were set up to grace the boardwalk.
Unlike Monaco, which is known for pure opulence—flashy casinos and iconic events such as the Grand Prix—Miami, while also vibrant with activity, has a different energy (albeit ever-exciting). As a bubbling melting pot of arts, culture, and food, perhaps the cleanest way in which to describe Miami is how CHANEL’s President of Fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky put it. Miami, simply, is: “The Creative City.”
For my show look, I styled a textural silk skirt from the 2022 Métiers d’art collection, alongside a handful of accessories including a hat, and the iconic slingbacks from the Fall Winter 2022/2023 RTW collection. To personalize my outfit, I paired my CHANEL pieces with a midriff-baring button-up with an exaggerated peter pan collar (which I figured was the next best thing to a bikini top).
I love mixing and matching styles and pieces, and any opportunity that I’m able to wear CHANEL feels like a dream come true. To finish my look off, I wore a face of CHANEL Beauty, including Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder for luminous skin, and a Rouge Coco Bloom in “Opportunity”.
When we arrived on-site, we were ushered to our designated cabanas. Then, soundtracked to classic Yacht tunes, the show began. From the opening look—an unmissable red and white jumpsuit to a later look featuring a two-piece pink sequin pantsuit, I was truly blown away by the youthfulness of the pieces, and the refinement of the collection as a whole. Chock-full of vibrant tweeds and graphic details, party-ready ensembles and terrycloth were aplenty. And detailed alongside these, were racquet bags, motor helmets, and bags shaped like slot machines. Fresh and fun, CHANEL’s Cruise collection had the capacity to transport me to a world where I’m frolicking poolside, drinking martinis, and then playing tennis right after.
I grew up in the suburbs—a quiet kid with a penchant for design and a love for the internet. Outside of the glossy magazines and the beauty counters in aspirational department stores, my first touchpoint with CHANEL was as a pre-teen watching The O.C. Besides believing I was going to marry Seth Cohen, I was absolutely captivated by Marissa Cooper’s CHANEL looks and how effortlessly she was able to style luxury pieces with polo shirts and mini skirts. While luxury fashion might not be accessible to all, I believe it still has the power to speak to all—and my personal style has very much been shaped by the Marissa Cooper ethos…which, if I had to articulate, would be something along the lines of “wear beautiful clothes but have a little (or lot) fun in them.”
Even though Miami Beach is certainly different than Orange County, sitting alongside the boardwalk— with the wind in my hair—experiencing my first CHANEL runway show, was an emotional experience for me. While Cruise inherently oozes luxury and affluence, I believe it is also empowering. Being able to witness this show makes me want to continue moving forward—advocating for a strong, motivated life. Perhaps it’s also foreshadowing a world in which I can romance myself without guilt, and take more sunny vacations.
After the show, we headed to the afterparty where we danced the evening away, with performances by Nile Rodgers and Chic (and then later, a surprise appearance by Pharrell Williams). First sand was in my shoes, and then, true to Miami fashion, my shoes were left in the sand for the rest of the night.
Being a part of this CHANEL experience was absolutely incredible, and while I’ve now returned to the throws of early winter, I’ll forever remember this jaunt in Miami with CHANEL with ease and fondness.
All photos shot on film featuring CHANEL fashion and beauty. The Cruise 2022/23 collection can be discovered on CHANEL.com and will be launching across CHANEL boutiques this November 2022.