The Tamesis
Chanel maternity wear? Needless to say, plenty of moms-to-be are happily shouting, “Yes, please!” — and Matthieu Blazy seems happy to oblige.
At least that was the case this afternoon, when Jersey-born, Norway-based model, musician, actress and first-time mother Kaya Wilkins walked the Chanel Resort 2027 runway show, her mid-pregnancy belly exposed in a black-and-white tweed suit. “I just got the call a few days ago and I was surprised because I was five months pregnant,” Wilkins said Fashion Just a few hours after walking off the runway. “Matthew and Anita [Bitton]The casting director was looking for someone who was pregnant, so I was lucky enough to have a little bump. “
Wilkins went on to explain that her agent was “extremely delighted” with the casting, and that the Chanel team made her first show for the brand – and one that featured her as “the youngest runway model in the world” – even more enjoyable. “Honestly, I had a really great experience hanging out with a lot of creative, calm people,” she said. She did add that the delicious backstage catering certainly didn’t hurt.
Photo: Aurore Marechal/Getty Images
In addition to the classic Chanel dress, Wilkins also wore a knitted bra, high-waisted bikini bottoms and red pepper earrings, all of which required no changes to accommodate motherhood, as Blazy had always intended for pregnant models to be included. Styling only completes the vision. See: Adorable kid’s shoes attached to a chain that comes with the bag. Looking out over France’s southwestern coastline, you can already picture a family walking on the beach, children barefoot and wearing Mary Jane slippers. (Fashion’s best-dressed father, A$AP Rocky, posed in the audience with his own distressed pink flap bag and matching miniature shoes.)
So, is it comfortable? “Oh my gosh, it’s awesome,” Wilkins said. As of now, her personal style is defined by her last pair of pants. Blazy’s classic Chanel tweed was a welcome change, with the gothic coastal bride another favorite look of hers. “I’m not running around with a baby bump, so that’s cool — having flowing hair and a baby bump makes me feel free,” she added.
Beyond this, there is another reason why the venue for today’s Biarritz fashion shows is of special significance: more than a century ago, Coco Chanel opened her first haute couture boutique here. So Blazy decided to show his brand’s first resort collection there, both as a tribute to that history and as a throwback. At the same time, the collection was consistent with what we’ve seen from Blazy at Chanel so far: deeply rooted in the brand’s rich archives, which he mined before giving his references a quirky, crafty, modern mashup.
