Luxury liner ship lifts anchor on first transatlantic fashion-themed cruise

Luxury cruise liner Cunard has set sail debuting the first transatlantic catwalk at sea, with a special week-long itinerary featuring runway shows, parades of models and exclusive designer unveilings ahead of New York Fashion Week.

For one week, passengers aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2 will be the first to get a peek at collections from young up-and-coming designers who recently graduated from the prestigious Royal College of Arts.

Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean right now, passengers aboard the Queen Mary 2 are sitting front-row at fashion shows and rubbing shoulders with British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes, who has dressed everyone from Freddie Mercury, Jackie Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor.

Rhodes is also debuting her latest collection aboard the ship.

Other fashion guest stars include fashion historian and commentator Colin McDowell and New York Fashion Week Founder Fern Mallis.

The Queen Mary 2 recently underwent a $132 million remastering.

The idea to bring high fashion to the high seas isn't so far fetched, given that many cruise ships house high fashion retailers aboard for their affluent guests.

Likewise, the terminology “cruise collection” is fashion jargon for inter or pre-season ready-to-wear collections which were originally targeted towards wealthy, jet setting consumers who travel to warm weather destinations during the winter months.

Meanwhile, it's not the first time a major mode of transportation has been transformed to feature a runway.

Most recently, Southwest Airlines turned their airplane into a flying catwalk to showcase the airline's new uniforms.

Virgin America has hosted a fashion show for retailer Banana Republic and Spanish carrier Vueling likewise partnered with women's ready-to-wear label Stradivarius for an in-flight runway show.

After leaving Southampton September 1, The Queen Mary 2 is scheduled to dock in New York September 8 in time for New York Fashion Week.