When Kamala Harris wore two suits by French fashion house Chloé for her appearances at the Democratic National Convention in August, it was the ultimate confirmation that so many women in the world right now want to be Chloé girls.
Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez, Jerry Hall, Demi Moore, Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Rosamund Pike are just a few more of the high-profile women who have fallen back in love with Chloé since creative director Chemena Kamali showed her first collection in February, in a show widely hailed as a return to the carefree essence of the label.
It also prompted a boho boom which was embraced by the high street and which, judging by Kamali’s second offering, unveiled on Thursday morning in Paris, will be going nowhere soon. Models wafted out in sheer, lacy nightdresses, tiered chemises, pantaloons and frilled crop-tops which had been inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s Summer 1977 Chloé collection.
Women of a certain age will no doubt have flashbacks to the New Romantic look they sported in the late 70s and early 80s – Lady Di would definitely have worn some of these outfits.
Amidst the vintage shoots and old show pictures pinned to Kamali’s inspiration board were also Penthouse magazine covers, Slim Aarons’ pool photography and snaps of sunkissed girls in itsy-bitsy bikinis in St Tropez – the 2024 spin on the look came in the form of “Chloé” embossed raffia bags (a sure fire commercial hit), crocheted leotards, a flamingo-printed swimsuit, piles of trinket jewels, shell bags big enough only for a lip balm and jelly shoes in high summer shades of baby pink and pastel blue.
It felt disarmingly fresh to see some classic florals on the catwalk after several seasons of them being dismissed, even vilified. The prints had been taken from original hand painted 1970s patterns which were redeveloped for now by the same supplier. Rendered on jeans, swimsuits and diaphanous dresses, anyone who loves an unashamedly girly botanical frock will be rejoicing.
But as Harris’s outings in Chloé prove, there’s more going on here than beachy-hippie-boho – you’re unlikely to see her campaigning in Wisconsin wearing a maxi which could be mistaken for a doily. Kamali is conjuring a feeling which is evidently as relatable for an It girl actress like Miller – who sat front row next to Anna Wintour wearing one of the blouson jackets (adapted from a 70s blouse shape) which topped many looks – as it does for a 59-year-old woman campaigning to become the next president of the United States.
“I always ask myself, does it feel right and real? I think there’s a sense of reality,” Kamali says backstage. “Of course, there’s so much fantasy and there’s so many stories that you can tell, but the sense of being anchored in reality, it’s very important.” When so many catwalks can feel like pure showmanship, at Chloé you’re on the cusp of feeling like you could totally be this woman.
“It’s a brand where you can take something and you can make it your own and it does not feel forced,” Kamali adds. “There’s so many different stages in a woman’s life, there are moments where you want to feel empowered, there are moments when you’re more vulnerable, and then there’s moments where you just want to be at ease, or you don’t want to think about what you wear.”
The suits and evening gown (a caped teal design, worn at a state dinner in May) which Harris has so far worn from Chloé have been custom designs, but among the lace and floral delicacies on Thursday’s catwalk were two excellent sharp-shouldered suits which would slot right into her wardrobe. It is noteworthy that Harris clearly likes the designs so much, she is willing to opt for the French label over an American choice.
After the recent rows in the UK around Sir Keir Starmer, his wife and his cabinet’s donor-funded wardrobes, Kamali’s insistence that Harris wearing Chloé “is a very natural choice, it’s spontaneous” felt like a refreshingly unjaded take on political dressing.
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