KYLIE, NICOLE AND MARGOT DAZZLE AS CHANEL SYDNEY SHOW MAKES FASHION HISTORY
Australian fashion had its very own Hollywood moment this week, as Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie turned out for the Chanel Sydney show at Barangaroo.
The French fashion house staged its Cruise 2026/27 collection on Sydney Harbour on Thursday, in what RUSSH called a first for Australia.
It was a seriously glamorous afternoon and evening, and the looks were as memorable as the guest list.
Three Aussie icons in the front row
Pop princess Kylie Minogue took her seat in the front row for the first show at 2.30pm, according to Marie Claire Australia.
Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie, who are both Chanel house ambassadors, attended the second presentation at 6pm.
Seeing three of our most famous women together celebrating a homegrown fashion moment was a real treat for fans.
Marie Claire noted that no other luxury house had staged a show of this scale in Australia, calling it a milestone for local fashion.
Inside the Chanel Sydney show
The setting was The Cutaway, the cultural space beneath Barangaroo Reserve, where a natural sandstone wall formed a dramatic backdrop.
Inside there was plush beige carpet and mirrored walls, RUSSH reported.
The collection is the first resort range for Chanel from its artistic director, Matthieu Blazy.
It was first shown in Biarritz, France, in April, and Sydney was its second stop.
Its French title, "Sous le salon, la plage", translates as "beneath the salon, the beach".
As is customary when Chanel takes a collection on tour, the set largely mirrored the original, with local touches woven in.
Those touches included ceramic vessels by Damion Fuller, a ceramic artist and surfer from the north coast of New South Wales.
Even the invitations were special, arriving as silver, shell-shaped lockets that hid a little whale's tail inside.
Seashells, sequins and sailor stripes
The beach theme ran through almost every look.
Models wore seashells over their ears, striped sailor tops and netting dresses threaded with gold shells.
Retro swimming caps with fin-like shapes nodded to costumes Gabrielle Chanel designed for the 1924 ballet Le Train Bleu.
There were jackets trimmed with shell-like paillettes and a red dress sculpted to look like coral.
One of the cleverest pieces was a double denim outfit that was not denim at all, but completely covered in sequins.
The show closed with a mermaid-style gown with a fishtail hem, covered in more than 126,000 iridescent heart-shaped sequins in blue and green.
For those of us who live in more practical clothes, there were also striped cotton pullovers and a ribbed cotton workwear coat.
A proud moment for Australian models
Australian model Julia Nobis opened the show in a black drop-waist shift dress and also wore the closing mermaid gown.
Gemma Ward, Josephen Akuei and Lauren Stevenson were also among the Australian faces on the runway, according to Marie Claire.
Several First Nations models walked too, including Latahlia Hickling, Tarlisa Gaykamangu, Cindy Rostron, Tatyana Perry and Charlee Fraser, RUSSH reported.
It was a lovely celebration of Australian talent on one of fashion's biggest stages.
How to borrow the look at home
You do not need a Chanel budget to bring a little of this seaside magic into your summer wardrobe.
A classic Breton striped top is a timeless piece that works with jeans, white trousers or a denim skirt.
Shell jewellery is having a real moment, so a simple shell pendant or pair of earrings is an easy way to nod to the trend.
A sequinned top in ocean blue or green would be a fun choice for the festive party season ahead.
Keep the rest of the outfit simple, so one statement piece can shine.
Most of all, have fun with it, because this collection was clearly designed to make fashion feel joyful.
With the Chanel Sydney show now in the history books, many in the industry will be hoping it is only the beginning for big international shows on our shores.
