Fashion season is in full swing, especially with Paris Fashion Week being a global extravaganza. A-list actor Lupita Nyong’o has been named Chanel’s newest ambassador, as reported exclusively by WWD.
Check this out, the French fashion house announced following the actress’s appearance at its Spring 2025 ready-to-wear show, held at the Grand Palais on the final day of Paris Fashion Week.
Regarding Chanel’s track record, Nyong’o, 41, joins the ranks of previous esteemed ambassadors, including Whitney Peak, Margot Robbie, Riley Keough, Charlotte Casiraghi, and Kristen Stewart.
While speaking to the Associated Press, the actress expressed her excitement about this new role, stating, “It’s a great honor. Chanel is a legacy brand with a long history. And to be the newest face of it feels monumental. I feel very, very proud and excited to take this new journey with a brand that I think is dynamic and always feminine and regal.”
When reflecting on the influence of fashion, Nyong’o reflected on the impact of fashion icon Bethann Hardison, whose pioneering work for diversity in the industry during the 1960s and 1970s left a lasting impact. Hardison gained recognition after participating in the historic 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show and became one of the first prominent Black models.
“I would hope that there is a message for little girls,” Nyong’o said. “My work as an actor and as an author, as a podcast maker, and now as a brand ambassador, is to change that by just occupying the space.” She emphasized how representation in these roles can inspire others and reshape perceptions, saying that when someone occupies a space that was once empty, it alters how people see themselves and the world around them.
As for Hollywood, Nyong’o voiced the lead character in The Wild Robot, a DreamWorks Animation feature that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8, 2024, and was released in U.S. theaters on Sept. 27, 2024.
