Chanel will introduce its Cruise Collection in Havana next May
Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld announced this week that his 2016-2017 Chanel Cruise Collection (also known as the Resort Collection) will be presented in Havana next May 3.
The legendary French house’s runway show will be the first Chanel production in Latin America and the first major fashion production in the Cuban capital since diplomatic relations were reestablished between the U.S. and Cuba earlier this year.
Lagerfeld had hinted at his plan earlier this year, saying at one of his shows that “I would love to do a show in Cuba.”
The 82-year-old designer has launched collections in major world cities in the past (Seoul, Vienna, Dubai, Singapore, Venice), but why Havana in 2016?
“The cultural wealth and the opening of Cuba to the world make the country a source of inspiration for me and Chanel,” he wrote in a press release, and we can expect plenty of tropical spice in his designs and colors.
Chanel is not the first fashion house to be attracted by the Caribbean island. The Observer points out that “brands such as Proenza Schouler and Stella McCartney have cited the island as an influence for their collections. Earlier this month, Racked rounded up the slew of magazines that have staged photoshoots in Cuba.”
“For example, the cover of Vanity Fair this month featured Rihanna roaming the streets and visiting landmarks. […] W’s August 2015 issue featured an editorial titled ‘Viva Cuba.'”
And that same month, an article in Porter magazine featured model Achok Majak in Havana, wearing styles by George Cortina.
An article in Bustle magazine suggests that “this could be more than a fashion show. Whether this is a conscious move on the brand’s part or not, it could be read as a political statement about the the re-opening of Cuba to the U.S. and Cuba’s place in global affairs.
“A nod from the prestigious fashion house is a huge endorsement that could have major effects on tourism to Cuba, trends within the industry, and, on a more general level, is sure to spur awareness and conversation about Cuba.
“This show will definitely be an important photo op for giving the world a peek into Cuba, even down to the easily-accessible social media level. Is it May yet?”
No official word on the Chanel event has come from the Cuban government, which presumably approved it weeks or months ago.
[Photo at top of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld and models on stage at the end of a fashion show.]
