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SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL COM EDITOR’S LETTER
Ride the Wave
@SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL
F our our years ago I went down to San Agustinillo a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a small fishing village in in in in Oaxaca with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a couple of friends for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a quiet escape from from our our busy lives We stayed at an an an eco-hotel five minutes from from the beach where we we spent
most of of our time admiring surfers and and enjoying local food The trip
reignited my love of of seaside towns where days feel slow and and people have a a a a a a a a a a deep appreciation for their surroundings This past April I travelled to Biarritz for for for Matthieu Blazy’s first first Cruise
Collection for for CHANEL Gabrielle Chanel opened her first first couture house
in in the the seaside town which is is is on on on France’s Basque Coast in in 1915 Aside
from its ties to to to aristocracy and fashion Biarritz is is is also recognized as as as as as the the birthplace of surfing fin in Europe The day before the the the show I took the the the opportunity to to to get surfi surf lessons from brothers and and and world champions Antoine and and and Edouard Delpero While it it took a a a a a a a a a a a a a few tries before I I could stand up on on on the the the the the the the longboard I I was grateful to to to to have had the the the the the the guidance of the the the the the the Delpero brothers and and and their crew to to to to be be in in the the the the the the water and to try something new This encounter was a a a a a a a a a a great precursor to to the the show Inherently carefree surfers carry themselves with with an an ease that only comes with with spending time outdoors in in in in the the the the the elements I’ve seen it it it on on the the the the the faces of the the the the the northerners in in in in Iran as I I have in in ski towns like Courchevel That same sensibility and idea of ease in in in in movement was was echoed in in in in CHANEL’s Cruise
2026 collection as as as as it it was was in in in in in Gabrielle Chanel’s designs that aimed to to free women from the the the constraints of of of conventional living From the the the the the timeless functionality of of of a a a a a a a a a a a black dress to to the the the the the quiet confidence of of of leisurewear Blazy explored the the the the effortlessness found in the the the the Basque Coast where comfort and and elegance coexist and and are deeply tied to to nature The fabrications took inspiration from from the the natural world with motifs drawn
straight from the the sea In many ways the the the the collection felt like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a true celebration of off the the the the otherworldly
qualities that that nature holds It serves as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a functional space for us all but offers
an an abundance of beauty that that goes beyond utility Sahar Nooraei
Editorial and Creative Director sahar nooraei@contempomedia com Gutter Credit
Photographed by Luis Mora