Chanel show grapples with designer void as actor Lupita Nyong’o talks diversity in fashion | World News

Meanwhile, Chanel announced Lupita Nyong’o as its newest ambassador, a strong step toward embracing diversity. The appointment of the Kenyan-Mexican Oscar-winning actor comes at a crucial time for the French fashion house, which has faced criticism in the past for not being inclusive. The move follows the widely acclaimed appointment of British-Indian Leena Nair as global CEO of Chanel in 2022, making her the only black woman at the helm of a major luxury brand.

Here are the highlights from the spring-summer ready-to-wear fashion shows: Chanel: searching for a vision beyond empire cage

The spring collection featured many familiar elements from Chanel’s extensive repertoire: chiffon capes, slit skirts, embroidered sheer shirt dresses, trench coats embellished with multicolored feather prints, aviator jackets with Peter Pan collars, all-pink or blue tweed looks, and Chanel’s iconic little black The dress she introduced to the world. Tweed, jersey, falcon, sheer embroideries, sequins, tassels, pastel knits and sparkling platform shoes emerged as a showcase of the house’s signatures.

Despite the breadth and richness of what was offered, something was wrong. There was little cohesion, and at times the collection lacked the unmistakable spirit that once characterized Chanel’s fashion shows. A series of scarf-print dresses looked out of place, as if clumsily borrowed from another narrative entirely.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel freed women from corsets with a swipe of scissors. Today, Chanel herself needs liberation. Applause at the end of the show, which often featured designs that looked uninspired, was noticeably muted as critics visibly fidgeted in their seats.

Completing the show with a stunning vocal performance from a Prince emerging from inside the gilded cage, as well as the starry presence of Nyong’o, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Vanessa Paradis, Margaret Qualley and Naomi, Campbell’s star appearance was from Riley Keough, granddaughter of Elvis Presley. His move seemed like an attempt to divert attention from the elephant in the room—or the empty cage.

Chanel is unquestionably a fashion monster and will survive this transitional moment. But there is no need to exaggerate the importance of the decision the house now faces. Chanel needs to find a designer who can reshape and redefine its vision for the future. The industry is full of speculation. Potential successors include Daniel Roseberry, known for his dramatic work at Schiaparelli, Marc Jacobs, a seasoned classicist with Paris experience, and Hermès’ talented designer Nadège Vanhée.

Viard, who was sacked this summer, succeeded Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019, and was his closest collaborator for decades. She oversaw Chanel’s record sales, which reached $19.7 billion last year. It was reported that apparel sales increased by 23% during his tenure. Viard was only the third creative director in Chanel’s more than 100-year history, following Lagerfeld and its legendary founder, Chanel. Lupita Nyong’o named Chanel ambassador

Nyong’o shared her excitement and deep sense of responsibility that comes with the new role. “It’s a great honor,” he said. “Chanel is an old brand with a long history. And being its newest face is an incredible feeling. “I am very, very proud and excited to embark on this new journey with a brand that I have always considered to be dynamic, feminine and noble.”

Nyong’o’s appointment comes as a breath of fresh air in an industry that has been criticized for its lack of diversity and reluctance to change. The number of Black designers leading heritage houses is alarmingly low; Currently, only Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing and Louis Vuitton men’s designer Pharrell Williams hold such positions at legacy Parisian brands.

For Nyong’o, joining Chanel is more than just wearing beautiful clothes; It means contributing to the narrative change in fashion. “The message I naturally and deliberately bring to my role is that things change. “And we don’t want them to go back to what they once were,” he said.

Nyong’o was inspired by watching a recent documentary about iconic model and activist Bethann Hardison, who was at the forefront of diversity in fashion in the 1960s and 1970s. Rising to prominence after appearing at the historic Battle of Versailles in 1973, a groundbreaking fashion show that thrust American designers into the spotlight, Hardison became one of the first high-profile Black models and an outspoken advocate for change.

“I was truly alarmed to see in this documentary how much work had been done to diversify the fashion industry, but how monoculture it had become in the following years,” Nyong’o said.

Hardison’s tireless efforts have led to significant gains for Black models in the past, but the subsequent setback underlined how fragile those victories can be. The fight for inclusivity in fashion serves as both a cautionary tale and inspiration for Nyong’o, who now finds herself carrying on Hardison’s legacy.

“It was necessary to step back, and for me this was proof that this requires awareness. This is a conscious effort that must be made daily and in the present. “You can’t fix it once and hope it stays that way,” Nyong’o added. She sees Chanel’s decision to appoint her as ambassador as part of a broader, deliberate statement: “These moves by Chanel are a way of declaring their desire to represent a more realistic world.” “I think it’s a part of it, and I’m proud to be one of the faces that sent this message.”

The importance of visibility in reshaping perceptions cannot be underestimated.

“When I grew up, I didn’t see myself in the advertisements of such brands. This caused me to have a major identity crisis and feel undervalued by the world,” Nyong’o said candidly. He described those early days when he looked through the pages of glossy magazines, looking for a face that reflected his own, but finding none.

Now she dreams that somewhere a little girl is watching her in the Chanel campaign, seeing someone who looks like her, someone elegant, famous and valuable.

“I hope there’s a message for little girls,” she continued. “My job as an actor, a writer, a podcast producer, and now a brand ambassador, is to change that by simply occupying the space.” It is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of representation; When someone finally occupies a once-empty space, it changes the way people view themselves and the world around them.

The luxury industry is often accused of ostentation and superficial diversity efforts, short-term gestures without real long-term change. Nyong’o is determined to ensure her role matters by embodying the idea that representation should come with impact and purpose. Louis Vuitton blends opulence and chaos in a dazzling collection

French fashion once again demonstrated its formidable power by blending craftsmanship with cultural resonance in Nicolas Ghesquière’s spring collection for Louis Vuitton. “French fashion is a formidable soft power, it exudes a tradition of skill, an art of living – a cultural singularity,” the house said, and the designer presented another show that appeared to be a grand culmination of the house’s journey. time, place and style.

The show opened with a brightly striped jacket with a curved silhouette; their clothes and accessories were filled with a kind of futuristic design; It’s a theme Ghesquière mastered throughout his tenure. The jacket reflects Ghesquière’s penchant for “colliding references” and reimagining the old as new, setting the stage for a collection that often deliberately deceives and dazzles. The massive petal-like fabrics surrounding the models’ necks evoked both a South American vibe and a nod to punk; It’s the hybrid aesthetic that makes Ghesquière’s work so unique.

The show leaned towards religious overtones; a priest-like robe of fluid proportions, accessorized with an almost comically large black chain adorned with a crucifix of some sort.

Yet, despite the individual flair of many of the tracks, the sheer diversity of styles sometimes felt overwhelming. A particular black-and-white floral split dress seemed to confuse the eyes; Their dense patterns made it difficult for viewers to distinguish where the dress ended and the underdress began. The tendency to combine multiple aesthetic elements occasionally led to visual overload. Miu Miu studies youth, uses celebrities as models

If there is anyone who can redefine fashion by entering the children’s wardrobe, it is Miuccia Prada. This season, Prada’s irreverent and intellectual sister, Miu Miu, examined early youth and with it the liberating simplicity and honesty it brings to thinking and dressing.

The brand is famous for blurring the lines between sophistication and play, and it’s no surprise that a baby’s cotton petticoat has become the center of attention and transformed into something altogether more complex under Prada’s masterful manipulation.

Opening with a crisp white cotton dress, this deceptively complex collection borrowed directly from childhood is the fruit of a collaboration with Petit Bateau. Chemisette dresses, sweaters, and twisted shirts have become subversive statements that have been folded, wrapped, and twisted in all the wrong ways to create something entirely new. Conclusion? It’s a charm that Prada itself calls “dishonest” – a term that fits almost mischievously with Miu Miu’s rebellious ethos. The spirit of a girl who refuses to fit in, who wears her tights and sweaters over her dresses in unusual ways just because she can.

The playful sense of contrast—an innocent wardrobe made provocative—reflects one of Miu Miu’s long-standing narratives: youth is a state of being under construction, where the rules are fluid and experimentation is freedom. This is a continuation of Prada’s love of subversion and polarity; whether it’s mixing raw imperfection with balance or transforming utilitarian comfort into a silhouette that exudes audacity.

Prada called on a remarkable cast, including Alexa Chung, Willem Dafoe, Cara Delevingne and Hilary Swank; Names from every corner of the art world who are as comfortable in front of the camera as they are here walking on Miu Miu panels.

Where Miuccia Prada excels is her ability to inject humor – a knowing wink – into serious fashion. And just like Prada once said, sometimes we have to choose whether to be a child or a dying woman. This collection chose the first one.

This article has been corrected to show that Erykah Badu did not attend the Chanel show.

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