Final day at Paris Fashion Week and Chanel was front and centre. All the more intriguing because this was the house’s final ready-to-wear collection before Matthieu Blazy takes over as creative director, debuting in October. As I’ve been saying repeatedly, it’ll be the most high profile runway of the year given Chanel’s reputation and the fact that Matthieu’s, really, will be the first new vision at Chanel since Karl Lagerfeld died. (Many people see Virginie Viard’s tenure as an extension of Karl because she was his right hand for so long.)
Still, even though there are still six months to go before Chanel’s new era, the in-between show was a celebrity draw. The regulars were there, of course, like Riley Keough and Chanel icons Carole Bouquet and Inès de la Fressange but it was also great to see some new faces week I posted about Doechii’s PFW takeover and she’s leading a whole brigade of pop girlies invited by the various luxury houses to generate exposure and keep the youths engaged.
After winning the Met Gala last year in that sand dress….
….Tyla was sat next to Anna Wintour, probably one of the most coveted if not the most coveted spot in the house. Because, of course, Anna probably gets sign-off on the seating plan.
You know what kills me about Tyla? She was a demure in pink tweed in Anna’s presence but… well… here’s how she really wears Chanel – and, frankly, the brand is better for it.
And how about RAYE! What a f-cking year it’s been for RAYE – performing at the Grammys and the Oscars and now hitting up several shows, but for me, surprisingly, RAYE + Chanel is the best fit. She is gorgeous in this set. Met Gala next, right?
Here’s another great set, modelled to perfection because, well, it’s Liu Wen. She’s known as China’s first supermodel and the way she’s wearing this look pretty much tells you why.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of her start in modelling and the timing is perfect, she’s in so many campaigns, from Prada to Saint Laurent to Burberry, co-starring in this new vignette along the legend, Naomi Campbell. You want to know why people were recently so excited by the Burberry show? Check that cape jacket on Liu Wen – you can get a better look at it in the second slide. Like, STOP IT. Can’t tell me that’s not dementedly good.
Back to Chanel though, and wearing the sh-t out of Chanel, because she wears the sh-t out of everything… Simone Ashley. No notes.
Simone was front row beside Park Seo Joon, highlighting him here for his beauty but also as a reminder that Chanel doesn’t do menswear but it doesn’t mean men don’t wear Chanel and PSJ is one of the most often to do it. And do it really, really well.
