What is a cruise collection?

With the last of the pandemic restrictions being lifted and the holiday fever being higher than ever, Summer 2022 has been a bountiful period for vacation fashion. A desire which has led luxury brands to restart cruise collection shows once more.

The terminology has been recently discussed due to the celebration of the historical Dior show in Seville this past June which came as a celebration of the history forged between the brand and Spain; a location that bursts with culture and folklore and that remains one of the most popular vacation spots for affluence tourists.

But what exactly are these cruise collections?

Also known as resort or holiday, a cruise collection is composed of a line of ready-wear clothing launched in between the biannual seasonal fashion launches to provide suitable clothing for typically exclusive customers, although it has now evolved to target any demographic who is eager to inject some of to the warmth and joy of the summer into their early wardrobe.

These collections were typically launched during the colder months and have been linked to brands of the sort of Paco Rabanne and Ralph Lauren who catered clothing for luxury travel for the elites in America and Europe. For instance, during the 90s Ralph Lauren carried out an advertising campaign that linked the brand with a vision of country clubs, yachts, and coastal landscapes that remains to this day.

Some of the typical pieces included for resort collections are: classic shorts, sandals, evening dresses, linen shirts, straw accessories, and bohemian-inspired designs for caftans and beach jewelry. Some of the most important attributes of these pieces rely on breathable materials like cotton and microfiber as they are light and easy to pack, and don’t require much cleaning or ironing.

Another important influence is the nautical style championed by brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Chanel and that has been crowned by Vogue as one of the main trends for SS22. Some of the classic motifs include anchor prints, vintage-inspired swimsuits with cuts of the 50s and 60s, sailor-style dresses, polo shirts, and the summer shoe of excellence: a pair of espadrilles of the highest local craftsmanship level.

These collections, much like the Dior one, are intrinsically connected to the style of typical holiday destinations such as the Spanish and Italian coasts in the Mediterranean, or the bold colors and floral prints of the Caribbean.

It is therefore typical to see the display of these resort collections in unison with the local fashion sensibilities to the point that in places such as Ibiza, the Greek Islands, St. Tropez, or the Amalfi coast a cross-cultural style is a feast for fashionable visitors, and a staple for the locals.

It is definitive; when temperatures rise effortless, relaxed, and exclusive are the new denominators of luxury.

Valentina Danaus, september 2022