Chanel’s Couture Brides Throughout History, From Linda Evangelista to Lily-Rose Depp
Every Chanel Haute Couture show closes with a supermodel (or two) in a wedding gown. In the past, this coveted position had been held by ’90s supers like Claudia Schiffer, Devon Aoki, and Linda Evangelista. In the years before his death, however, Karl Lagerfeld made a point to select modern muses like Kendall Jenner and Lily-Rose Depp to close the show. His successor, Virginie Viard, tapped one of Lagerfeld’s most recent alums for her haute couture debut, but quickly changed things up the next season. Instead of a gown, fall 2019 found Vittoria Ceretti in what resembled a (very chic) pair of bridal pajamas. (You have to give Viard some credit for her foresight; it was only a week prior that Zoë Kravitz attended her rehearsal dinner in a pair of bridal bike shorts.) See how Viard’s couture weddings have compared to Lagerfeld’s illustrious bridal past with a look back at more of the models who wore Chanel wedding gowns well before their frequent companion—Hudson Kroenig, Lagerfeld’s preteen muse—was born.
Karl Lagerfeld toted his fan when he joined Claudia Schiffer at the Chanel couture fall 1991 show.
They had so much fun, they did it again for the Chanel couture fall 1992.
Lagerfeld covered his muse with lace for Chanel couture fall 1993.
And let her go scantily clad and solo for the Chanel Couture spring 1993 collection.
Schiffer did her best showgirl impression at the Chanel couture spring 1994 show.
Devon Aoki brought a punk twist to the Chanel couture fall 1999 show in a voluminous cape—and cemented her muse status in the process.
Aoki returned with a feathery twist for Chanel couture spring 2000.
And again for Chanel Couture fall 2000.
Two models are better than one—a lesson Lagerfeld took to heart at the Chanel couture fall 2001 show.
Linda Evangelista provided ample arm candy at the Chanel Couture fall 2003 show.
A cape-clad Alek Wek stole the show at the Chanel couture fall 2004.
A bouquet of flowers was the perfect accessory at the Chanel couture fall 2005 show.
As ankle boots were at the Chanel couture spring 2006 show.
Irina Lazareanu’s boots were a bit higher at the Chanel couture fall 2006 show.
The Chanel couture fall 2007 bride paired sunglasses with head-to-toe lace.
Next season’s unexpected accessory, on Raquel Zimmermann, was a bonnet.
Devon Aoki was pregnant when she returned to the runway for Chanel couture spring 2008.
Lagerfeld covered Sasha Pivovarova in ruffles for Chanel couture fall 2008.
Lagerfeld muse Baptiste Giabiconi accompanied Lara Stone down the aisle of the Chanel couture fall 2009 show.
And Abbey Lee Kershaw at the Chanel couture spring 2010 show.
Baptiste Giabiconi, the eternal groom, brought a lion head along for the ride at the Chanel couture fall 2010 show.
Lindsey Wixson marched solo at the Chanel couture fall 2012 show.
Erin Wasson made sure to credit the Kaiser for her magnificent Chanel couture fall 2013 gown.
So did Kendall Jenner—with a kiss.
Burgeoning Lagerfeld muse Lily-Rose Depp made her Chanel couture debut in pink.
Hudson Kroenig accompanied Luna Bijl for Chanel couture spring 2018.
Fall 2018’s couture show saw 18-year-old Adut Akech join Alek Wek as one of the rare black brides in Chanel’s history, as well as link hands with not only Kroenig but also his younger bro, Jameson.
She may have had to take her bow sans Karl, but Vittoria Ceretti still managed to steal the show at Chanel’s spring 2019 couture show, thanks to the sparkly sequined swimsuit and bathing cap that accompanied her requisite massive veil.
Vittoria Ceretti returned to the runway as the bride for Chanel’s first couture show without Karl Lagerfeld in decades, which also marked Viard’s couture debut. This time, Ceretti also kept things casual: She wore a silky pale pink ensemble that bore a resemblance to a (very chic) pair of pajamas.
Rebecca Leigh Longendyke has proven a favorite of Viard’s; she also closed Chanel’s spring 2021 ready-to-wear show and opened spring 2021 haute couture.
Viard imagined a more casual country wedding for Lola Nicon, who joined a smaller cast of models for the house’s return to the Grand Palais.
