PARIS (AP) — If any one piece defines Chloé under Chemena Kamali, it’s the blouse. Billowy, ruffled, effortless, and deeply romantic, it captured the essence of her third collection for the house at Paris Fashion Week.
Kamali’s Chloé woman moves through time, referencing history but never stuck in it, just like the women who sat in the front row, Jerry Hall and Georgia May Jagger, icons of past and present Chloé cool.
Chloé has long been a house that champions women, both in its design ethos and leadership. While some major womenswear brands continue to be helmed by men, Chloé has laudably remained a platform for female designers, shaping fashion through their perspective. German-born Kamali, now three collections in, continues to refine her vision within that tradition.
This season, blouses weren’t just a focal point, they were the foundation. Cut in ivory and peach silk, some had commanding sleeves and meaty cuffs that gave them the oomph of jackets. Wide-legged, low-slung trousers paired with gold logo belts nodded to a familiar boho ease, while slip dresses — cut on the bias in soft pastels — skirted the line between languid and sensual. Fur-trimmed quilted coats and Victorian-style heirloom jackets layered over plunging Henley knits injected a tougher, more urban edge. Accessories followed suit, with oversized charm-laden handbags and thick logo belts lending an opulent contrast to the collection’s airy silhouettes.
“As I started working on this collection, I felt that moving forward is just as important as honoring the past,” Kamali said. “It is about continuing to explore, to redefine and to evolve the Chloé woman’s state of mind.”
The show setting was simple but expansive, with soft lighting casting a glow over a muted green carpet, keeping the focus on the clothes.
Some may feel the collection flirted with excess, but Kamali sees complexity as intrinsic to the Chloé woman. “She embodies complexity and is not defined by a single identity,” she said. “She is multifaceted, emotionally charged, and rich with nuance.”
The designer continues to push Chloé into the future while staying grounded in its essence.
“Chloé embodies a unique balance of soft strength, blending natural femininity, sensuality, and lightness with independence and freedom,” she explained. “For me, the Chloé woman feels real, and that honesty and connection resonate deeply.”
Maybe it is just the blouse. But for Kamali, it’s also about the woman who wears it.