One of my favourite fashion moments so far this summer has been Emily In Paris star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, 62 (below), attending the recent Schiaparelli haute couture show in Paris dressed in a killer outfit that showed off her legs to perfection. Predictably (and rather depressingly) this immediately divided the internet and sent the comment sections into overdrive.
Shirt dress, Zimmermann. Sunglasses, Saint Laurent. Bag, Bottega Veneta. Sandals, Hermès
Those disapproving of her sexy, feminine look didn’t hold back. ‘She’s a beautiful woman, I agree, but I think she shouldn’t show her knees,’ said one commenter. ‘Wearing clothes would make it better,’ remarked another. A particularly unkind commenter said: ‘Face is filled with plastic. The knees are not (laughing emoji).’ And, wagging a virtual finger, came this dig: ‘That dress is not for a woman of her age.’
Remarkably, the harshest critics of the French actress, who plays lady boss Sylvie Grateau in Netflix’s hit show, were women. Why anyone would think it’s OK to publicly criticise her looks is astonishing to me. What happened to body positivity? Celebrating our figures and femininity at any age is surely a good thing. I say bravo to Leroy-Beaulieu, who is determined to be admired and seen in her 60s.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for style inspo to get people talking, the skirt has been a big hit this summer, outshining the dress with its versatility. It is a piece that is set to rule autumn, too – and, even better, it’s not just minis that are in…
Killer look: Leroy-Beaulieu
★ The pencil skirt was central to designer Sarah Burton’s debut at Givenchy, where she showed off her immaculate tailoring skills. Styling this corporate favourite isn’t as difficult as you may think: either pair it with the contrasting silhouette of a loose oversized blazer or lean into the neat, polished look with a silky pussy-bow blouse.
★ Knee-length A-line skirts were also key at Gucci and Prada for autumn – worn casually with an oversized cardigan and long necklace. The length of choice at Miu Miu was also the knee, with styles including a lace slip. ‘We really wanted to create an elegance through direct manipulations of simple pieces,’ said the brand’s creative director Miuccia Prada of the hero piece.
SET THE TONE
This embroidered-linen co-ord in dusty blue by Tyde London is perfect for holidays. Wear with your favourite sandals and raffia tote or, for evening, team the shirt with white linen trousers.
WOVEN TROVE
I’m loving the collab between Rixo and cult woven-leather bag brand Dragon Diffusion – this roomy Lucine tote is a favourite.
SPOTTED
Brit actress Keira Knightley’s support for Chanel is as strong as ever. At its recent haute couture show in Paris, she was one of the VIP guests and looked elegant in a black-and-white tiered dress. Then a week later at the men’s final at Wimbledon (right), she sat in the royal box wearing Chanel glasses and carried a bag from its new resort collection.
