Good afternoon and I hope you’re all staying warm and dry amid the drizzly rain that seems to be falling across London, Milan and Paris. 

This newsletter would have arrived in your inbox just after the highly anticipated Chloé show, where new creative director Chemena Kamali presented her debut collection for the house. Hopes have been high for Kamali and, as I wrote in a previous newsletter, her vision to take the Richemont-owned label back to its romantic roots seems promising.

So, what did we see today on the runway? Cascading blouses and dresses that looked like flowing chiffon, long and short cape styles in leather and vinyl-looking fabrics and over the knee boots in shades of brown, caramel and maroon, paired with chunky necklaces and arm bangles. The collection could have easily veered coquette, but avoided that girlishness normally seen at labels like Miu Miu.

To me, the clothes appeared sensual and liberating in ways that Saint Laurent and Dior weren’t able to achieve with their shows yesterday (you can read deputy editor Carola Long’s on-the-ground report here). Kamali’s collection, dedicated to her father who passed away this year, was fresh and feminine, with touches that harked back to the 1970s, when the late Karl Lagerfeld was creative director at the brand.

On the front row were Jerry Hall, Bianca Jagger and Pat Cleveland, who modelled for Chloé in the days of Karl Lagerfeld, as well as Anna Cleveland and Georgia May Jagger, epitomising the Chloé woman across generations. You could also say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

“I wanted to return to the original roots of the house and build a sensual Chloé that radiates with warmth and positivity,” wrote Kamali in her show notes. When Gaby Aghion founded Chloé 72 years ago, she rejected the stiff formality prevalent in fashion at the time and offered styles that were more fluid.

For the designer, it was less about creating a distant fantasy, but a vision rooted in the modern woman and her way of dressing – an approach also taken by new Gucci creative director Sabato de Sarno this season (my thoughts on it here). “It’s about a Chloé with a sense of nostalgia that also mirrors the times we are living in and anticipates how women want to feel today,” according to Kamali. “Chloé lets you be yourself; it doesn’t transform you.”

As someone who once bought heavily into the bags by former Chloé creative director Hannah MacGibbon (who could walk down London’s Sloane Street without spotting a few Paratay and Marcie styles back then?), and let’s not forget the padlocked Paddington under Stella McCartney, I look forward to seeing how Kamali and new CEO Laurent Malecaze build out the brand’s accessory offering to become a more significant driver of the business. 

The next high-profile outing will be Seán McGirr’s debut for Alexander McQueen on Saturday. More from me then.

Who in fashion wasn’t talking about The Row yesterday? The ultra-luxe label by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (this exclusive interview with the elusive entrepreneurs by HTSI editor Jo Ellison is not to be missed) went viral – ironically – for banning the use of phones during their show. In a note to all attendees, the brand wrote: “We kindly ask that you refrain from capturing or sharing any content during your experience.” Guests were provided with a pencil and paper to take notes, and bread and butter, along with some water, to take away.

It’s unsurprising of the duo, who have been the purveyor of the stealth luxury trend, and marks something of a power move at a time when it has become commonplace for attendees to take photos and videos either for reference (for editors and buyers, it can help aid their work); for storytelling (publications and influencers share insidery snippets and imagery from being able to attend such an exclusive event); and, for some, social media clout – as seen via the growing number of celebrities and content creators sat front row at the shows.

The response has been divisive. Some critics praised the brand for continuing to march to the beat of its own drum (it doesn’t advertise and has a very specific high-end clientele). The no-tech rule forced guests to be present in the moment; for the brand it meant avoiding an avalanche of – sometimes blurry – runway photos, and therefore less chance of overexposure. Others left unimpressed; for some it felt reminiscent of the pre-digital days when luxury brands would exert control over their images. Others noted the importance of social media to help drive buzz and product sales.

Bottega Veneta, under former creative director Daniel Lee, famously deleted its social media accounts back in 2021 in favour of slower storytelling. For some brands, quiet has become the new loud – not only in their designs, but also in their approach to advertising (see my reporting here on why low key marketing strategies are coming back into favour). Are you a fan of brands leaning into more subtle communications to get their message across? Let me know what you think at kati.chitrakorn@ft.com.

1. Moncler’s plan to take back the mountain and stay at luxury’s summit (BoF)

2. LVMH is in talks to acquire Paris Match (WWD)

3. Dior shelves Hong Kong runway show (BoF)

4. Tod’s CEO says he has no plans to sell ‘family business’ (Reuters)

5. YSL Beauty gets a new face as it focuses on makeup (Vogue Business)

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What to read in the FT

LVMH goes to Hollywood to get brands on screen Luxury group launches venture for product placement and co-developing and co-financing own entertainment projects At Paris Fashion Week, naked dressing and a ’60s tribute Saint Laurent shows sheer audacity as Dior goes for Left Bank looks Ask a Stylist: how to wear scarves Inspiration will come more easily once you’ve had a thorough sort-out of your collection Need a suit? Try vintage Armani The Italian label’s designs from the 1990s look modern and are often a bargain In Milan, navigating the nexus of heritage Designers at Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo and Bally face the challenge of pleasing conservative customers — and sometimes owners — while generating enough creative spark

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