Naomi Campbell dons Chanel’s new boyish style on the front row

The 54-year-old supermodel channelled the label’s new fashion objective: combining refined femininity with former creative director Karl Lagerfeld’s lean and youthful legacy.

Chanel’s spring/summer 2025 show was designed by the studio, following creative director Virginie Viard’s exit in June – of whom the fashion house are still to replace.

When the late Karl Lagerfeld took over Chanel in 1983, he reinvented Coco Chanel’s iconic but dated tweed by introducing more playful avant-garde elements, such as the trompe-l’œil effect, which modernised the print through houndstooth patterning.

Following Lagerfeld’s death in 2019, Virginie Viard, who worked closely with him for many years, became the label’s artistic director. Viard honoured Chanel’s heritage, straying slightly from Lagerfeld’s luxe and boyish approach, instead prioritising lightness, prettiness and girly frivolity.

This collection sewed the two artistic visions together: displaying both a feminine flair and roguish charm within each ensemble – from frilled denim to diamante jeans.

The show took place within the the iconic Nave of the Grand Palais museum in Paris, where today, the entrance bears the name of Gabrielle Chanel.

The catwalk itself modernised classic Chanel motifs, such as turning the two-toned pump into platform sneakers.

The collection blended the 1920s and 2020s with modern takes on classic designs, seeming to embody Coco Chanel’s words, “Fashion passes; style remains.”

Emmanuel, 35, wore a white tweed slip dress echoing the pattern of a contemporary hoodie, which featured a multi-coloured kangaroo pocket. Her ensemble was a perfect display of where the heritage brand is heading.