Sigourney Weaver, Taraji P. Hensen at Chanel Show – The Hollywood Reporter

Taraji P. Henson was thrilled to attend her very first show at a Paris Fashion Weekand the fact that it was Chanel haute couture was undeniably the icing on the cake.

“My stylist, Jason [Rembert]tells me I own more Chanel than any client he knows, but I’m also very grateful,” said the Oscar-nominated actress and producer. “I’m an artist, so I live for this kind of thing I am always interested in the person doing the work.”

Chanel’s haute couture presentation on July 5 at L’Étrier de Paris, the equestrian center on the outskirts of the city, proved a perfect location for Henson to observe the ultimate handicrafts first hand. The layout of the venue was limited to three rows in each direction, allowing for an up-close look at an audience laden with A-listers – Henson was joined by Leslie Mann† Sigourney Weaver and Clémence Poésy at the morning presentation, while Keira Knightley† Marion CotillardLucy Boynton and Maggie Gyllenhaal attended the afternoon show.

From the emphasis on bouclé tweeds and bejeweled buttons that descend seductively on the backs of black chiffon dresses to lace cowboy boots and wide-brimmed hats, Artistic Director Virginie Viard‘s latest collection was wide. The collection also focused on customization – much to the delight of Rembert, who sat directly behind Henson and also has Mary J. Blige among his clients.

“As celebrity stylists, we often rely on customization for looks that work in real life and not just on a model’s body,” he explained. “I watch a show like this and think about the Emmys or… [film festivals in] Venice or Toronto, and these are silhouettes that will work on the body of a talent. Virginie really leaned on her strong suits, such as tailoring, but also fabrication and embroidery. I also loved the bejeweled buttons on the back of the garments. For me it is one of the best collections I have seen in a long time.”

Viard cited several references for this season’s haute couture wear, from a 1988 depiction of Inès de la Fressange to Fred Astaire and Annie Oakley, which comes closest to explaining both the cowboy boots and hats that aren’t there. more like the Wild West. They were also the top two details mentioned by front row stars. “I just thought they were brilliant, and I loved being transported to that far west,” said Poésy. “There was also a timelessness and freedom about the clothes – you had the feeling that you could move in it and feel quite liberated, which of course is what [Coco Chanel] did, isn’t it.”

The collection balanced a mix of tweed with chiffon in silhouettes that ranged from full-skirt suits to languid sheer dresses with a bit of a mermaid skirt kick (the better for mastering those Astaire dance moves). Graphic prints are also key, from a pied-de-poule on steroids to a floor-length dress with a flounce of black and white stripes around the shoulders, a look that also seemed to exude Viard’s confidence because it felt like a modern update on something Mademoiselle Chanel might be able to do. designed in the 1930s.

“It was breathtakingly beautiful,” Mann said of the collection. “I feel like I could wear any outfit; The mix of fabrics, silk with sequins and of course the cowboy boots with the big hats. It was inspiring, but it also just felt fun, and we could all use some fun in our lives right now.”

Sigourney Weaver – who often attends Chanel shows with her boyfriend, costume designer Catherine Leterrier, whose work also includes 2009’s Coco for Chanel – agreed. “I’m so excited now to see the excellence; when I come to a French fashion show I feel like I am in the heart of France,” she said. “Fashion is such a celebration of life – the art of living, a love of life – and I am always inspired by it.”

With Leterrier around, Weaver noted that while she enjoys seeing the handiwork up close and personal, more practical elements may soon take its place. “Normally I don’t come as someone who buys or looks for outfits, although five things are coming out soon,” said the actress, whose upcoming projects include. Call Jane and the long awaited December Avatar: The way of the water† “I should be looking for outfits, but I’ll think about that later. At the moment I just find this inspiring.”