FASHION FAMILY: French President Emmanuel Macron confessed that he was feeling “anxious” ahead of the fashion dinner he hosted at the Élysée Palace on Monday night.
He wasn’t worried about Naomi Campbell being late — though she was, making quite an entrance in a black pantsuit streaked with red threads fresh off Alexander McQueen’s spring runway. Nor was he nervous about being in a room full of fashion experts and critics.
It was because the last time he threw such an event was February 2020, just before the coronavirus ravaged the world, forcing him to lock down the country only a few weeks later.
“I hope after this dinner, something big will happen, but positive,” he said, to a round of nervous chuckles.
Before the buffet-style dinner, designers Nicolas Ghesquière, Pharrell Williams, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Rick Owens, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Olivier Rousteing, Glenn Martens and dozens more milled around the garden for cocktails, eventually assembling for a messy group shot on the lawn.
Olivier Theyskens said he was the first person to arrive, which he was thankful for as he managed to catch the golden light falling on the palace and its picturesque gardens.
The designer spent most of the last year making costumes for Mylène Farmer’s “Nevermore” tour, which might never end.
Theyskens explained that several dates at Stade de France were canceled last July amid unrest in Paris following the police killing of a teenager, and have been rescheduled for Sept. 28, 29 and Oct. 1 in 2024. He’s not sure yet if he’ll be conscripted to make new ones.
Martens was still on a high after his outdoor Diesel show and rave in Milan, not upset at all that the clouds opened up as soon as his runway show started, and the drops stopped after the finale. “It was perfect,” he assured.
Anthony Alvarez, the designer behind Bluemarble, had just attended one of Usher’s Paris concerts, delighted to see that the singer donned roller skates while wearing the sparkly animal-print jumpsuit he had designed. “It was my first time collaborating with Swarovski,” Alvarez said.
The dinner offered a rare chance for designers from competing luxury groups to hobnob, Chiuri rushing to hug Demna before leaving. Demna noted on his way out that Chiuri once sent him a vintage Balenciaga handbag, which touched him deeply.
The event fell on the eve of the last day of Paris Fashion Week, allowing Chanel‘s Bruno Pavlovsky, president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, to declare it a success, spanning 67 shows and 40 presentations, with the lion’s share of participants — about 60 percent — hailing from outside of France.
He thanked Macron “for honoring fashion by welcoming us here this evening at the Élysée.”
Macron told the crowd that France is a “welcoming country” for foreign talents, who not only add beauty, but help transform the country. “Paris is your place,” he said. “Long live fashion!” — MILES SOCHA
THE CHANEL CROWD: Chanel was back to black inside the Grand Palais Éphémère with a runway that snaked through rooms against bursting blooms inspired by Villa Noailles in the South of France.
Blackpink’s Jennie contrasted in a fun, fuzzy vest and shorts combo.
“It’s a Barbie-looking outfit,” she said of her minuscule take on the suit. It had pink double Cs, a pink belt and a heart charm. “It’s a bit different than my other looks, but it’s cute.”
The K-pop star who just wrapped a world tour, spent the prior day catching up on some much-needed rest in her hotel room. She was bright and cheerful for Chanel’s early-morning show.
Jennie said this season’s collection with its bold florals and bright colors felt “carefree and liberating.”
Noting that Chanel creative director Virginie Viard is one of the few women to head up a fashion house, Jennie said that working with her is an inspiration.
“She represents a beautiful, strong, competent woman and it’s just so inspiring. And she always gives me such a good, lovely energy and tells me such sweet words,” she said. “And if you look at her collections, it’s so strong and delicate, so I love the contrast there. I just love her.”
Chanel also outfitted her for the Cannes premiere of “The Idol,” which premiered there last May. Jennie, who is on screen with her stage name Jennie Ruby Jane, reflected on the walking the red carpet for her first acting role.
“It was so much pressure on me because it was my very first time, but looking back I just loved what I wore. I loved my look; I loved the whole team that I was with. It was just a great experience,” she said. “I hope to get to do more in the future.”
It’s a little bit of a Chanel switcheroo with Jennie moving into acting, and Brie Larson taking up dance. She’s become obsessed with her ballet practice lately after taking it up seven months ago.
“I’m just so deep into it right now, all I care about is dancing,” she said. She does six hours of practice a day. “It’s been a surprise to me that it’s become so important, that I love it so much and that I have so much more I want to do with it.”
For all her stunt training as a superhero, dance training has put her more in touch with her body as she learns new moves, different strengths or reaching new heights, she said.
“I start to see changes and I’m surprised sometimes,” she said. “I didn’t do dance as a kid so I’m just learning what my body can do. As artist, I guess sometimes you get things stuck in your head and you just have to follow that. I don’t know where it is supposed to lead or what it means, but it’s been fabulous.”
In Paris, it led from the airport straight to the Chanel atelier and then the Opera Garnier, where she went to see a ballet Sunday night.
She went to her fitting first, where the Chanel staff presented her with a cake and sang to her. Then it was off to the ballet. “That’s what I wanted to do for my birthday. It was a triple bill and it was so beautiful — beautiful dancers, beautiful choreographers. It was so fabulous I cried.”
“What a day, my Chanel birthday,” she said.
Amandla Stenberg is coming up on the 25-year-old milestone mark, and said that she feels she is moving into a new phase of life.
“Recently I’ve been really interested in womanhood in a way that I identify with. Now, I find myself feeling so drawn toward understanding what it is to express myself as a grown woman, in terms of the way I carry myself,” the former child star said.
“It has to do with growing older. I’ve found myself wanting to emanate grace and femininity in a way that I never really cared about before.”
The actress is taking a break after spending six months in London working on the Star Wars universe series “The Acolyte.” During that down time she’s been working on music — but don’t ask about an album. She plays it as it goes.
“I’m never gonna promise that, ever,” she said, adding that while people keep asking for an album, it needs to be more of an organic process. “I don’t want anyone to even have an inclination that it’s gonna happen because then I’ll never do it.”
Stenberg said her mother always thrifted and found lots of vintage Chanel, and she has maintained that ethos and style. “I kind of don’t believe in buying new clothes,” she said. Her favorite coat is one that she thrifted, and she believes it’s also a special piece not just for its style but also its powers.
“I call it my Chronicles of Narnia coat,” she said. “It adjusts to whatever temperature I’m in. I think it’s magic.”
Penelope Cruz doesn’t need to go looking for vintage Chanel since her closet is full of decades of looks. The actress said she first joined the brand in 1999 and has kept many of her outfits over the decades, starting with Karl Lagerfeld’s works through Viard’s.
She praised Viard for taking the top spot after Lagerfeld’s passing. “It was something very hard to do. It was not a small thing to step into, and she has done an amazing job,” Cruz said.
The Chanel world feels like family after all these years. “And family is the most important thing to me,” she said, adding that she had spent the summer with aunts and uncles outside of Madrid.
Cruz said that she’s such a Chanel fan you could show her a photo of any collection and she could probably ID it immediately. Would she open a museum with all those vintage pieces hanging in the closet? “I would love to, but I don’t think I have enough — yet.”
Ariana DeBose had on a vintage-style piece that could have been straight out of Studio 54.
She played Donna Summer on Broadway a few years back, and said she learned some style lessons. “Everybody should dress like glitter and gold on Tuesday morning,” she said of her very slinky ensemble.
“This screams disco ’70s but is still 100 percent Chanel,” she said of the gold and sequined outfit.
DeBose had a viral moment earlier this year for her “Angela Basset did the thing,” lyric at the BAFTAs. The reaction was another lesson for the singer.
“Some days it’s really fun, and some days it’s overwhelming,” she said. She recently ran into Anne Hathaway, who accidentally said the song lyrics in conversation. “We shared a culture moment, and I’ll take it. It’s mine, for better or for worse, but I think it’s cool to be part of moments like that.”
“I learned a lot about myself and about the world. My capacity to withstand commentary — the threshold is pretty high,” she said.
She’s bounced back from the moment, and has been taking a break during the ongoing actors’ strike. The Writers’ Guild agreement is a bit of a glimmer. “I’m very hopeful that we can all get back to doing what we do best.”
“Back to Black” star Marisa Abela made her first fashion week show, ahead of the Amy Winehouse biopic release. The all-black interior was fitting. “It gives it a bit more of an edge, which is just cool to see the clothes shine in this space.”
Playing Winehouse was inspiring. “To play someone with such tenacity, it’s hard for that not to rub off on you,” she said. “But my number-one priority was always Amy. As long as I was taking care of her in that time, I’m happy.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m like the world’s most confident person, but being in a space full of such beauty I think it’s about being interested in what’s in front of you, rather than being too introspective. As long as I’m interested in the people around me, then I have confidence because I’m listening, I’m interested, I’m curious.”
“I’m just hopeful that everyone watches and enjoys and feels that we are celebrating the life of one of the most incredible, talented, ferocious women that ever existed. And that’s what the whole film is about — celebrating her.”
Chinese star Wang Yibo debuted a new bleach-blonde hairstyle with a white jacket for the show. He said he was a fan of the set, which was arranged like a house and decorated in large florals. “Looking outside the windows, it’s like a painting. Collectively they look like still films. I like the clash of colors.”
He planned to take in the architecture and make the most of his Paris experience with the country’s most famous beverage. He added: “French red wine is very tasty.” — RHONDA RICHFORD AND TIANWEI ZHANG
NEW AT DIOR: James Deeny has been appointed director of international press and public relations for Christian Dior Couture and corporate communications, effective Oct. 9, the house said on Wednesday.
He will oversee women’s categories, homewares and childrenswear, and reports to Olivier Bialobos, deputy managing director in charge of global communication and image.
The Irish executive succeeds Giuseppe Sperandio, who left Dior after five years at the French fashion house to take on the post of image and communication director at Loro Piana.
Deeny joins Dior from KCD Paris where he was senior vice president, overseeing clients including Diesel, Rick Owens, Isabel Marant and Giambattista Valli.
A graduate of University College in Dublin, Deeny started his career as editorial assistant at publishing house Assouline before being named global PR manager at Dries Van Noten. From 2012 to 2019, he was global director of press and PR at Kenzo. — JOELLE DIDERICH
SNOOP’S CHRISTMAS CHEER: Snoop Dogg is the second of three musical sensations to join The Children’s Place’s three-part holiday campaign that fuses music, family and fashion. The campaign launches Tuesday.
The Snoop Dogg Holiday Collection features Snoop Dogg, his wife Shante Broadus, and their children and grandchildren, along with their family pup, Charlie.
Part one of the three-part holiday campaign featured NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, along with Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and Boyz II Men member Wanyá Morris. The third in the series is expected to feature “a beloved pop culture diva,” according to The Children’s Place, an omnichannel children’s specialty portfolio of brands.
Outfitted in The Children’s Place’s new holiday collection, the brand video, “An Iconic Holiday: Part 2” spotlights Snoop Dogg and his family driving up to a beautiful house to celebrate the holiday dressed up in coordinating green plaid holiday outfits, sharing holiday dinner, then later wearing the brand’s matching family pajamas and opening gifts. The Snoop Dogg collaboration emphasizes the breadth of The Children’s Place assortment and its ability to dress families across the country for every made-to-match holiday moment.
“Family is everything,” said Snoop Dogg. “Working with family is truly a blessing. Having Shante, my kids and my grandbabies as part of this holiday campaign is nothing short of incredible. Not gonna lie, the shoot got me feelin’ festive and fly. The Children’s Place matching family styles and pajamas are for everyone who wants to be drippin’ in swag. Y’all know the Broadus family will be matching all season long with The Children’s Place.”
“The Children’s Place is all about ‘family,'” said Maegan Mark, brand president of The Children’s Place. “What better way to celebrate than by partnering with three iconic generations — Snoop Dogg and Shante, their children and their grandkids. Snoop Dogg has dominated an era and has shaped pop culture and the social media landscape. His global and generational appeal deepens our bond with our multigenerational shoppers both existing and new,” she said.
The ads will appear on The Children’s Place’s social media platform. — LISA LOCKWOOD
IN THE BUBBLE: Moët & Chandon celebrated the launch of its Collection Impériale in the splashiest of ways — by throwing a lavish dinner at the Hôtel de Bourrienne, an 18th-century private mansion that often received Napoleon as a guest. It was the first time the home had been opened for a private event.
Cellar master Benoît Gouez welcomed guests with candlelight and cellos, past an electronic clock projected on the wall, into the garden where a new work from artist Daniel Arsham was on display.
The piece was inspired by a stained-glass window the two discovered while spending time in the chateau’s wine cellar. The house was inspired to commission Arsham for the piece, as well as a unique bottle case, because of the connection.
“We are blending wines from different universes, as Daniel really does in his work. He loves to blend different materials together,” Gouez said of the collaboration. It also marks the 280th anniversary of the LVMH-owned house founded by Claude Moët in 1743.
Gouez has been dreaming of creating a Champagne like this for almost 20 years. It will be a first for the luxury segment, and only 5,000 bottles will be produced.
“Nobody thought before to blend so largely and to play with so many ingredients, and to age the wines in different environments and walls,” he said of the ambitious project. “It’s a new concept, a new vision.”
Blends are typically from different grapes or regions, but Gouez’s blend is bringing together grapes that are aging in various materials — meaning stainless steel, oak cask and bottle.
“It has a never-before-seen complexity,” he said. Five reserve vintages aged in oak from 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006 and 2000 — a “mischievous” year Gouez said — along with a bottle-aged 2004 vintage and a “fresh” 2013.
Arsham spent time with Gouez at the domain to immerse himself in winemaking when they found the window. He took cues from the work including the cherubs, trumpets, vines and a drawing of the chateau itself for his piece. He created his sculpture in four parts, cracked and fragmented to appear ancient.
Now his piece will return to the chateau to be installed near the window that inspired it. The work is also rendered on a limited-edition sculptural carrier that houses the bottle; only 85 will be made.
He also learned about winemaking from Gouez.
“He’s crazy knowledgeable about all of these things that have to go into making the wine — from the composition of the earth that is in the region, to the weather to the blending of the Champagne,” he said. He showed him what works in wine, and what doesn’t.
“You never really get that experience when you’re drinking wine or Champagne. It’s always prepared for you in the way that it should be. So understanding what doesn’t work in a blend was informative.”
Arhsam said learning about the process made him understand how scientific it is — and he will stick to art. “It’s a little bit too technical for me. Making art is more loose, there’s not really any rush to it,” he said. “I’m happy to drink a lot of Champagne though.”
Parisian gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin, British director Nia DaCosta, actress Saffron Hocking, creative director Austin Snyder, photographer Tyler Mitchell and jewelry designer Jury Kawamura, alongside Moët & Chandon creative director Khoa Dodinh, were among the creative crowd.
Michelin star chef Yannick Alléno prepared the meal, and reminded the guests of their esteemed company. “I’ve cooked twice this month – one for King Charles and tonight for you.” — RHONDA RICHFORD
BARBIE ON SHOW: Numerous fashion collections, a blockbuster film and now an exhibition — Barbie-mania is neverending.
The Design Museum will host the history of Barbie on July 5 to mark the Mattel doll’s 65th anniversary.
The museum has partnered with the toy manufacturer to dive into the design evolution of Barbie’s fashions, houses, furniture and vehicles, drawing on items from Mattel’s archives in California.
“Barbie is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet and as we’ve seen recently, her story evolves with each new generation,” said Tim Marlow, director and chief executive officer of the Design Museum.
“We look forward next year to displaying a whole range of eye-catching objects, some familiar but many never seen before, to showcase the evolution of design across the decades of Barbie’s world,” he added.
Greta Gerwig’s summer film “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has hit the $1 billion mark at the box office and the doll industry is estimated to generate $14 billion by 2027 as a result of the film, according to a report by Euromonitor.
“Mattel’s growth is also driven by ‘kidults’ who are buying childhood toys like Barbie,” said Wee Teck, head of toys and games at Euromonitor International. “The company has moved into video games and digital content. The transition into an entertainment company has helped Mattel generate additional revenues from digital content and drive sales for its physical toys.”
Barbiecore has gone over and beyond as brands such as Gap, Zara, Superga and Fossil have introduced looks in tune with the trend. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED