Chanel walks the woman along the seashore, Louis Vuitton launches her into the future

Home Chanel organized a parade on Tuesday “like a velvety winter by the sea”with large beach hats, wide and comfortable dresses and nightgowns.

The show revolved around the theme of the weekend getaway, illustrated on the big screen by a black and white dialogue of a certain erotic intensity between Brad Pitt and Penélope Cruz and ending with the reservation of a hotel room.

A collection conceived as a “homage to Deauville, that mythical place where Gabrielle Chanel found her destiny”, explains artistic director Virginie Viard in her show notes.

It was in Deauville, an elegant seaside resort in northwestern France on the banks of the English Channel, where Gabrielle Chanel opened her first boutique in 1912 where she sold an accessory very appropriate in windy Normandy… the beach hat.

This accessory was the star of this fall-winter 2024/2025 show, worn by most of the models, in an immaculate white or powder pink version, always with extra wide edges, raised at the top and decorated with elegant silver jewels.

The collection’s palette was also inspired by bright or pastel tones, from pink, mauve, orange and pale blue to the changing colors of the Deauville sky.

The ivory lingerie dresses follow the romantic ensembles, ruffled muslin dresses, which evoke the movement of waves or wind through their lightness.

Supermodel Gigi Hadid paraded in a discreet black skirt and sweater set, a Chanel bow in her hair and a clever cascade of 1920s-style gold necklaces around her neck.

Virginie Viard also offered her clients trench coats with wide shoulders. Long fitted coats over tweed suits, sometimes in shorts, dungarees or with fastenings at the back.

“Deauville has that eternal side, it hasn’t changed much since I’ve been going for 66 years,” observes fashion designer Inès de la Fressange, who for a long time was the house’s muse, on the sidelines of the show.

Naomi Campbell, Vanessa Paradis and the singer Rachel Zegler occupied the front row seats of this very cinematic show.

Futuristic looks

Louis Vuitton paraded at night. Nearly 4,000 guests came to witness designer Nicolas Ghesquières’ 10-year anniversary show at Vuitton in the Louvre courtyard, who left a thank-you note on each chair addressed to the group’s boss, Bernard Arnault, who, by coincidence, calendar, he celebrated his 75th birthday that same Tuesday.

The futuristic and eye-catching looks gave rise to very metallic dresses, from an all-gold or silver outfit to stunning fur coats, with a collection of winter wristbands and mittens to warm your hands on the coldest days.

The hat also stole the show, in a gray and black cap version, a reinterpretation of the very political “pussy hat”a feminist symbol worn in a knitted and pink version by those who oppose Donald Trump and anti-abortion policies.

At Miu Miu, Prada’s fanciful little sister, guests came “dressed” in the previous collection, bare legs and mostly in boxers and swimsuits, despite the 11°C outside.

Designer Miuccia Prada’s winter 2024/2025 wardrobe received an iconoclastic boost, in orange and light blue in very wide, structured skirts worn over tights in bright colors, purple or red.

The designer had thought of an equally iconoclastic cast that gave prominence to elegant sexagenarians, from actress Kristin Scott Thomas to Ángela Molina.

Finally, Lacoste decided to return to its roots by walking for the first time at Roland Garros.

The tennis clothing brand, which appeals to both wealthy young women and followers of hip-hop culture, proposed a modern and bourgeois wardrobe, but with nods to street clothing, from the huge ‘gangsta’ rapper vest. even the pleated skirt for a game of doubles.