The Chanel haute couture show began the day on a soft note — or pillows, rather.
Held in an upper gallery of the Grand Palais, the setting featured plush velvet sofas and muted light, as an homage to Coco Chanel’s salon.
It was more apartment than runway, and the stars in attendance seemed to melt into its giant couches.
“This room is, first of all, the most comfortable room I think I’ve ever seen a fashion show in,” said Kirsten Dunst, still shaking off jet lag and adjusting to Paris time. With two kids at home in L.A., she keeps a tight schedule and the actress said she hadn’t found her equilibrium quite yet, having arrived before the Bal d’Été on Sunday.
Dunst, who’s marking the 25th anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s “The Virgin Suicides,” reflected on the film’s new life via TikTok. “For it to live on in the way that it has is so meaningful,” she said, as it grabs the attention of another generation.
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Her second collaboration with Coppola, “Marie Antoinette,” has also been rediscovered by Gen Z, often prompting teen girls to DM her with questions about the French queen, she said.
“It’s probably more accepted and relevant because of the times we’re in,” she added. “Indie films, like when ‘Virgin Suicides’ came out, were more male dominated, and judged — like who were the reviewers?” she said, reflecting on the cultural shift.
Dunst has two new projects back to back: “The Entertainment System Is Down,” the latest from two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund, and “Roofman,” a heist dramedy costarring Channing Tatum.
The former is set on a plane filled with bored passengers, and filming predates TikTok’s “raw dogging” travel trend, where users document themselves braving long flights without entertainment.
“Ruben is always a few steps ahead,” Dunst said, noting the project’s surreal tone and ensemble cast, including Keanu Reeves. “It was such a singular experience I don’t think anything else will compare.”
The film will be hoping for a Cannes berth. “You know Ruben, he wants that third Palme,” she joked.
Coppola, seated with daughters Romy and Cosima Mars, who is currently interning at Chanel, presented “The Virgin Suicides” at the Louvre last week and the Biarritz film festival over the weekend. “I’m glad it holds up,” she said of the film’s enduring legacy.
She recently directed a video for budding musician Romy — though she said she was only following Romy’s cues — and revealed she and Dunst are eyeing another film collaboration, with details still under wraps.
Coppola likened TikTok to the DIY spirit of ’90s indie ‘zines. “It’s something I don’t understand, but it’s fun to see how creative they are,” she said. “If it had been around, I probably would’ve filmed for it.”
Keira Knightley also noted an anniversary. Her Jane Austen adaptation “Pride & Prejudice” celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, which set off a slew of essays and think pieces about its enduring cultural significance.
But the actress hasn’t watched it in as many years. “If my kids are ever interested in watching it, maybe I will,” she said. “So far, they’re just absolutely anti watching me in anything.”
She recently wrapped “The Woman in Cabin 10,” a psychological thriller shot aboard a luxury superyacht. It was an experience she found somewhat less than luxe. “It was a little snug,” Knightley said, of 100-plus cast and crew on board. “I think it put me off the yachting experience for a while.”
Penélope Cruz, another Chanel ambassador and longtime devotee of the brand, visited the atelier the day before. “Some gowns take over 800 hours to make,” she said. The Oscar-winner recalled sewing with her grandmother as a child — a ritual that took ages but “felt almost meditative” and created a bond across generations.
“It’s really beautiful that a brand like Chanel keeps fighting to maintain that,” she said. “Everything nowadays is instant gratification. If we don’t preserve the things that require time and rhythm, we lose something.”
Cruz is also starring in two upcoming films: first, “The Bride,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, and “The Invite,” by Olivia Wilde.
The former offers a new twist on the traditional Frankenstein tale. “She’s done something so new and wild and rock ‘n’ roll,” Cruz said. She plays a detective with mixed feelings about the monster she’s hunting.
She’s also directing her first documentary, a project two years in the making. “It’s a very important story to me,” she said, though keeping mum for now. “I didn’t want misunderstandings about what it is.” She’s buckling down in the editing studio this fall, aiming for a cut by spring.
Naomi Campbell was coiffed in a New Romantics-style ‘80s pouf. “I love ‘80s pop. It’s my time, my era,” she said, though she’s currently vibing to Burna Boy and Wizkid. Campbell recently collaborated with Miley Cyrus and is entering her next incarnation as a DJ.
Since debuting with her first gig in March, she’s remixed Cyrus’ song “Every Girl You Ever Loved,” and even created a TikTok challenge to go with it. Both will be released soon, while her next DJ set is in Munich on July 27.
“I’m just enjoying my musical side at the moment,” she said. As for fashion, she’s looking ahead to Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel debut in September. “It’s an amazing pairing,” Campbell said. “I hope I have a front row seat.”
Marion Cotillard, fresh off two French films, is anticipating the release of her first TV project with the fourth season of “The Morning Show.”
Working on episodic TV was a new experience for her.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen next,” she said of the constantly evolving scripts. “It’s disturbing at first, and then exciting.” As for working with Jennifer Aniston? “She’s a legend. Everything you’d expect.”
Grammy winner Laufey took in her fourth Chanel show. “I love anything with an exaggerated collar,” she said, crediting stylist Leith Clark for the romantic look. “We’re pretty locked in. Anytime she pulls something for me, I just immediately love it.”
The Grammy winner was taken with the musical arc, starting soft and building into ethereal-techno by Eartheater and Sudan Archives. “Music is not just sonic, it’s visual,” said Laufey. “I’m always looking for inspiration on what to wear on stage. Seeing how things move in the wind, it’s so inspiring.”
Her next album arrives next month, with singles rolling out gradually — a process she finds “nerve-wracking.”
“My songs aren’t really stand-alones,” she said. “You need the whole album to understand the context.” A U.S. tour will follow, and she’s still plotting her stage looks. “There’s always something to dress for.”
