Rachel Bilson, Blake Lively and Vanessa Paradis looked every inch the brand ambassadors as they arrived to support Karl Lagerfeld at the Hotel du Cap.
They were joined by Clemence Poesy, Alexa Chung and Anna Mouglais, who positioned themselves under a line of white parasols for the elegant affair, which saw high-profile models including Kristen McMenamy take to the catwalk.
Karl's girls: Blake Lively (left), Alexa Chung (centre) and Rachel Bilson (right) at the Chanel Cruise show today
French fancies: Clemence Poesy (left), Anna Mouglais (centre) and Vanessa Paradis were among the guests
And if the label's swimwear had a natural habitat, this would be it, as the designer showed the assembled guests exactly what they should be wearing on their vacances.
From swimsuits and sunhats to shades and towels, every look was oozing with the label's signature Gallic chic.
Bias-cut gowns of ivory silk strung with oversized pearls, lean skirt suits with sparkling buttons and long, pleated dresses in creamy silk that referenced flippy Forties tennis skirts.
Even some white knee-high boots-cum-sandals somehow looked cool.
White hot: Veteran model Kristen McMenamy, 42, was among the names modelling swimwear on the catwalk
Glamour's natural habitat: Designer Karl Lagerfeld said that the show was about the women of Cannes
Speaking after the show, Mr Lagerfeld said: 'It's about dressing down these very sumptuous looks, about easy elegance.
'This is about the women of Cannes, women who mix bathing suits with real pearls and diamonds. After all, you can't wear fakes into the water.'
While the designs on the catwalk won universal praise, it was the A-list guests that really had the guests buzzing.
Crowds gathered around Miss Lively, who is currently the face of Chanel's Mademoiselle handbag collection, as she waited for her audience with Mr Lagerfeld.
Gallic chic: The collection referenced Forties silhouettes. Even some odd white boot-sandals looked cool
Bathing beauty: The heavily monochrome one- and two-piece swimwear designs were classic Chanel
Baring acres of leg in the tiniest of miniskirts, she could be seen taking pictures of the sun setting over the water at Cap d'Antibes.
Miss Chung looked typically quirky in an empire-waisted Chanel Couture creation in the palest of pink, while Miss Poesy looked summery - and oh-so-Chanel in a dress of yellow tweed and ostrich feathers.
OC actress Miss Bilson, who currently stars in a Magnum commercial that was directed by Mr Lagerfeld, gave the label her own twist in leather shorts with a white embellished sweater and blazer, while Vanessa Paradis shimmered in a Twenties-style pantsuit.
Elegant affair: Guests assembled for the show under white parasols in the garden of the Hotel du Cap
Mr Lagerfeld also used his cruise collection show as an opportunity to present a short film he has directed.
The 30-minute piece, titled The Tale of a Fairy, stars Ms McMenamy and Ms Mouglais as well as supermodel and Chanel 'face', Freja Beha Erichsen. Racy scenes see the latter two women in an on-screen kiss.
In a statement on the Chanel website, Mr Lagerfeld explained: 'It is a movie about an ill-advised use of money which begins with violence and ends with feeling.'
It will make its public debut on the Chanel website today.
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