Lupita Nyong’o made quite the statement as she graced the Opening Season Ballet Gala at Palais Garnier on Tuesday, after attending the Chanel Spring 2025 show in Paris, where it was announced that Lupita is the latest brand ambassador for Chanel.
While her role as a representative for the house may have come as a shock to all of us, given her vivid and eclectic fashion taste, it’s worth taking a step back and reassessing her history with the French fashion house before giving up on this union.
When Lupita stepped onto the Gala’s red carpet in a Chanel Fall 2024 Haute Couture black mini dress paired with a matching cape, I must admit—panic set in. The combination of the shimmering fabric, though lovely in theory, struggled to live up to the flair we’ve come to expect from her. This look left me with doubts, especially after seeing Tilda Swinton—another ambassador who’s known for her avant-garde style—struggle with this collection.
But before we go too far into a fashion despair, let’s look at Lupita’s past Chanel looks, because, suddenly, there was a glimmer of hope for the partnership. And once I took myself down this rabbit hole, in fact, some of her past Chanel moments have been nothing short of iconic.
Take, for instance, the 2013 MoMA Benefit: A Tribute to Tilda Swinton. Lupita rocked a Chanel Fall 2013 Haute Couture metallic tiled dress that was futuristic and effortlessly chic—a fashion forward moment that set her apart. Then, there was the 2014 MTV Movie Awards where she stunned in a colourful Chanel Fall 2014 dress, undeniably one of her most memorable and joyful red carpet look to date.
There’s also the gold and ivory Chanel Haute Couture dress she wore for the 2014 Women Of The Year Awards, a look that evokes memories of her dazzling Prada moment at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival for ‘12 Years A Slave’ where she was introduced to the (fashion) world. Fast forward to the Chanel Fall 2023 Haute Couture show, where she served up a front row look that brimmed with playful colour.
Even at the 2023 Academy Museum Gala, she looked ethereal in Chanel.
More recently, Lupita wore a bright pink Chanel suit for ‘The Hollywood Confidential: A Quiet Place – Day One’ event…
…alongside two European press tour Chanel looks.
In hindsight, Chanel’s signs of grooming Lupita as an ambassador were there all along, but their style seemed so misaligned that no one saw it coming.
Ultimately, while Lupita’s latest black mini dress and cape may not have dazzled, her history with Chanel is proof enough that there is potential *breathes sigh of relief*
With her unique charisma and daring approach to fashion, I’m still banking on breathing a new lease of life into Chanel’s classic aesthetic. Here’s hoping Lupita manages to make this unexpected partnership one for the books.
Stylist: Micaela Erlanger.
Credit: Julien M. Hekimian/Getty Images / Vogue.com / Chanel / Getty
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