Chanel’s Creative Director, Virginie Viard, took us on a thrilling vacation to California’s storied Venice Beach boardwalk.

Chanel brought its signature tweed to Tinseltown for the French fashion house’s highly anticipated Cruise 2023/2024 runway show at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Paying homage to the decades of history between the luxury brand and the City of Angels, the atmosphere of the venue created the ideal setting for the show, travelling through a glamorous black and white Hollywood studio to a sandy beach lined with palm trees. Meanwhile, the runway was set up like a soccer field, with guests seated on bleachers and scoreboards marked at each end. A huge screen played a B-roll of the Los Angeles landscape interspersed with videos of Alma Jodorowsky doing aerobics in Chanel.

“Between a tribute to the glamour of the big movie stars and the evocation of the fun world you can have with aerobics, sports and rollerblading,” says Viard, “Between the dream on one side and what you want to wear on the other, it’s all a matter of balance,” expressed the creative director, describing a collection infused with a joyful spirit of City Of Angels, youthful energy and, of course, lots of pinks. From the glamour of the ’20s and 30s to the rhythm of the ’70s and ’80s: the decades take centre stage, with a smile on the face.

While the collection paid homage to the cinematic city, Viard did not fail to include the quintessential Chanel codes that are usually incorporated into every collection. Tweed suits, sequin embellishments and feminine silhouettes made an appearance, staying true to the Chanel woman. From the 1960s businesswoman in her tweed suit to the 1980s fitness instructor working out in her leg warmers and a high-cut jumpsuit to the 2014 party girl dancing the night away in her sequin mini-dress, it was an imaginative and nostalgic collection.

The collection provided a playful and Cali-chic version of Chanel with rhinestone embellished mini-shorts and sequined jumpsuits, embroidered bustier tank tops, the sixties inspired outfits, luxe bathrobes and loungewear, thirties style shoes with disco element courtesy of the lights, crepe chinoiserie and plush pieces, embellished swimsuits, leg warmers and delicate evening gowns.

There was a multicoloured palette carefully balanced between Maison’s timeless colours, pastels and quirky new shades. Beyond the iconic black and white, there were shades of pink, so dear to the artistic director, as well as golds, which evoked the golden age of cinema, the bright lights of the projectors and the eternal Californian sun.

Sneakers and shiny leg warmers complemented dazzling black jumpsuits and shorts before moving on to golden bohemian looks, which mixed the house’s signature tweed with classic ’70s silhouettes.

On the other hand, the show featured an impressive list of star guests. Famous friends of the brand such as Margot Robbie, Kristen Stewart, Sofia Richie Grainge, Paris Hilton and Elle Fanning sat front row to see the collection filled with Barbiecore’s summer looks. The crowd featured many more famous faces, including Marion Cotillard, Halsey, Tracee Ellis Ross, Chloë Sevigny, Elle Fanning, actresses Six Riley Keough and Camila Morrone and mother-daughter duo Leslie Mann and Iris Apatow. All enjoyed a post-show performance by Snoop Dogg.

Paris Hilton brought the Barbiecore trend into preppy territory at Chanel’s Resort 2024 show. Hilton wore an open knit dress and matching cardigan from the French brand. She paired her Barbiecore-inspired pink ensemble with a matching tweed clutch, cream patent leather heels and layered pearl necklaces.

See some of the looks from Chanel’s 2024 Cruise collection.