Cunard is offering a stellar lineup of fashion events on a week-long cruise aboard the iconic Queen Mary 2, which will depart from Southampton, England. The ship will arrive in New York on September 8, just in time for Fashion Week.
Headlining is Dame Zandra Rhodes, who’s dressed everyone from Princess Diana to the rock band Queen. Several onboard catwalk shows and presentations will feature different lines from her five-decade-long career. Also participating are featured speakers Fern Mallis, the so-called “Godmother of Fashion,” who founded New York Fashion Week in 1993, and fashion historian Colin McDowell.
London-based Storm modeling agency will be supplying the models for this transatlantic fashion extravaganza. And in a nice touch, passengers will get acquainted with future fashion stars as several students from the prestigious Royal College of Art’s postgraduate fashion program will showcase their latest collections.
Guests will also be able to check out the half-billion-dollar oceanliner’s latest transformation. In June it will be taken out of action and dry docked for 25 days for an extensive re-mastering of its interior design and décor while increasing the number of staterooms by 30. A new restaurant and lounge will also be inaugurated, with Executive Chef Nicolas Oldroyd introducing new menus across the ship.
The Queen Mary 2’s upgrade will lend a new sense of style to the vessel, and the fashion agenda of this cruise will add an unmistakable level of excitement to the usual elegance. “Guests are going to be able to look forward to a fantastic fashion experience,” stated British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes in a press release. “Guests will have the chance to dine with all these specialists in the industry, ask questions from us all. I’m there to enhance everyone’s experience.”
