Kristen McMenamy in Monochromatic Chanel Swimwear

Planning a summer getaway in a luxury villa rental always begs the question of exactly what to pack. If you’re looking to add some new additions to your summer outfits, or the ones you’ll need for next year, then Karl Lagerfeld has some suggestions for you. Last year Lagerfeld held the Chanel Cruise 2011 collection in St. Tropez, which is, of course, one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world. This year Kaiser Karl kept to the South of France when unveiling Chanel’s vacation looks. The Chanel runway show attracted many boldface names, just adding to the star power currently descending on France with the Cannes Film Festival.

The Chanel show opened with a variety of suits in yellow and lilac, and the soft pastel hues continued for the first part of the show. While celebrity attendees from Blake Lively and Rachel Bilson to Vanessa Paradis and Alexa Chung looked on one smart resort look after the next was trotted out (over 60 in all). There was a polo-style shirt with striped hem and cuffs, a pair of smart cream shorts paired with an embellished twinset, and some great fitted suits. Floaty fabrics and subtle florals also made notable appearances.

The light colors and pastels soon made way for classic Chanel black-and-white. One piece swimsuits were paired with traditional Chanel tweed jackets and models sported low-heeled, thong sandals, large glamorous sunglasses and bowler-esque straw hats. Lagerfeld also created knee-high, pseudo boot versions of the same sandals. Accessories also included some gorgeous Chanel Haute Joaillerie pieces. While Coco Chanel may have popularized costume jewelry, Lagerfeld showed many of his casual pieces with the real stuff including diamonds and pearls.

This summer, if you’re looking for a change from the traditional little black dress Chanel had several options. We agree with Lagerfeld that with a St. Tropez tan a little white dress seems absolutely right. And not only did Chanel offer a variety of swimsuits and coverups, but also a multitude of chic daywear and fashionable outfits to wear once the sun sets. Whether you need something cool and casual (flowing pants in black or cream, sleeveless vests, pretty floral dresses) or fancy (a stunning selection of floaty chiffon, embroidery, sequins and beautiful gowns including one featuring a shooting stars motif) this collection delivers.

And while many were focused on the stars in the audience, others were just as excited to see star models like the white haired Kristen McMenamy, Stella Tennant and Frankie Rayder making appearances on the Chanel runway.

If you’d like to plan a luxury rental villa vacation just perfect for the looks seen in the Chanel Cruise 2012 show then you should check out the options available from Villazzo. Unbelievably beautiful and luxurious villas–with or without five-star VillaHotel service–is the ultimate in exclusive vacations. Forget hotels, it doesn’t get much better than your own private lodgings in a gorgeous villa complete with butler service and all the amenities of your favorite hotel. Take a look and reserve your date for next year’s high season in the South of France.

Photos via harpersbazaar.com iPhone 5