Hannah Dodd on her first Chanel show, and the joys of method dressing
This week sees fashion's finest descend on Paris for the spring/summer 2025 couture shows, and it is a particularly special season for Chanel, which is celebrating 110 years of its haute couture atelier. The house – which paid tribute to Gabrielle Chanel's use of colour in the collection – filled the front row with fashion darlings, including Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa and Lily Rose-Depp, as well as newcomer Hannah Dodd, who was excited to be attending her very first Chanel show.
The Bridgerton star – who looked sensational in a white leather two-piece on the front row, styled by Felicity Kay – had an opportunity that so many could only dream of: to step inside the couture atelier the day before the show to see the team putting the final touches on the spectacular collection.
"I feel so grateful to be here," she told me over the phone, ahead of the show. "I just saw some of the pieces in the final stages in the workshop, so I am really excited to see them coming down the catwalk tomorrow. I just feel honoured to have had the chance to do that. It’s amazing to think that, after 110 years, they are still delivering these incredible pieces of art – and that they have the dedication to craftsmanship all this time later. It's just insane. I feel very privileged to get to watch it and experience it."
Although the actress is no stranger to the red carpet, the past few months have been somewhat of a whirlwind for her. Starring in Bridgerton not only raised her profile significantly, but gave her the opportunity to dip her toe into fashion in a way she had not before.
"I loved the press tour, it was really fun not having the pressure of a singular moment," she explained, adding that it was her first time exploring method dressing. "We got to experiment with different brands and different beauty styles – it was really fun getting to sit down, select a look and really tell a story, making sure we were highlighting a different element of my character or paying respect to what we were promoting.
"It was a really fun experience, and my team were just so collaborative to work with on the whole thing," she added. "These people are at the top of their game. They are all artists in their own field and it’s just so nice to drink all that information up and watch everybody do their thing."
Dodd works very closely with Kay – who also styles the likes of Paul Mescal – who she says has introduced her to new designers and helped her to be a little more experimental with her fashion.
"I definitely think my style has evolved with the help of Flic, but also just having the opportunity to meet all these incredible designers at these heritage houses and getting chance to experiment with what I wear. I feel so lucky – I go to these events where I get to wear something a little more daring, something I wouldn’t ordinarily wear in my everyday life, and I think that has sort of influenced my everyday style. I hope it has."
But for Dodd, if there is one thing she is always drawn to, it's tailoring – and that was not going to be an exception for her very first Chanel show.
"I love tailoring in general – I love masculine shapes on women and a really powerful suit just makes you feel really confident and like you can do anything. Sometimes though, I think it’s just can be about how an outfit makes you feel. When I put this on, it fitted like a glove, which is always a good sign – and it just made me feel really confident. I felt like myself in it, but also it feels like high fashion, which is exactly what I was going for."
Photography by Pip Bourdillon
You Might Also Like
