French lessons

erched atop a makeshift rooftop scene, model Gigi Hadid gazes across Paris’ Grand Palais, its glass ceiling welcoming the city’s silvery grey sky. It’s Virginie Viard’s first ready-to-wear outing since her appointment as artistic director at Chanel, and while Hadid and her sister Bella have become renowned for their modern streetwear-infused style, today Viard is zeroing in on the original proponents of cool: French girls. Sitting front row is label ambassador Caroline, clearly understands her country’s enduring appeal. Sartorially speaking, it’s that covetable ability to look utterly chic without it feeling like you’ve tried too hard—something Viard nailed by trading tricked-up theatrics for a collection that offered a quietly confident entree into the spring/summer 2020 season.