Versace, Chanel, Louis Vuitton: The destination show renaissance

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Hot off the heels of a star-studded co-ed Autumn/Winter 2023 runway in Los Angeles, Versace is set to stage its summer collection in Cannes on 23 May. The pieces will be co-designed by chief creative officer Donatella Versace and global pop star Dua Lipa, who has been a prominent ambassador for the Italian luxury house since AW21. The “La Vacanza” summer collection will be see-now-buy-now, with designs available for purchase in store and online immediately following the show.

“Summer is a magical time. We will capture this feeling and the colours of that time of the year with a truly special and intimate fashion show in Cannes,” said Donatella Versace in a statement.

The event comes as the world’s biggest brands continue to stage elaborate runway shows beyond the traditional four fashion weeks, which have become increasingly cluttered as companies compete to deliver high-impact events that generate social currency. 

Boss — the millennial-focused brand of Hugo Boss — kicked off this year’s travelling show circuit in March with a show in Miami. Dior followed with a landmark show under the Gateway of India in Mumbai. Louis Vuitton held its first pre-fall runway in Seoul in April and will stage its cruise show at Isola Bella on northern Italy’s Lake Maggiore at the end of May. Gucci will also hold a cruise show in the South Korean capital later this month. Stockholm will serve as the backdrop for Max Mara’s cruise collection, while Chanel, which under creative director Virginie Viard has typically stayed close to France, is venturing out to Los Angeles. 

Chanel presented its Métiers d’Art collection in Africa in December 2022.

Photo: John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images