Coco Chanel famously said: “A girl should be two things: Classy and fabulous.”
Thankfully, French actress Audrey Tautou – who plays the iconic French fashion designer on the big screen – is both.
The 33-year-old managed to represent the brand well during her promotional tour of Coco Before Chanel, where she opted for demure dresses in the classic Chanel colour combo of black and white.
The stylish biopic – which recently ended its run here – chronicles Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.
But is Tautou the incarnation of French chic like the grande dame of modern couture herself? Even though the waifish face of Chanel No5 is admired for her own precious style and gamine charm, we have to say she’s not quite there yet.
Still, Coco would’ve been proud.
 |  |
| 1 Tautou is head-to-toe
perfection at the Paris
premiere in this strapless,
bubble-skirted floral frock
by Chanel.
She toughened the feminine
look by throwing on a cropped
black leather jacket from
Chanel and edgy black
Sergio Rossi gladiator sandals.
J’ador | 2 I’m not crazy over her Chanel
flutter-sleeved blouse decorated
with black ribbons at the Tokyo
press conference.
Her short curly hair has grown out,
but the overall effect is reminiscent
of an aunty trying to look sweet
and act cute. |
 |  |
| 3 Tautou decided to – gasp!
– not wear Chanel in Los
Angeles.
Instead, she was draped
in a belted asymmetrical
little black dress and classic
black pumps from Lanvin,
but the wow factor is sorely
missing.
The wet tousled waves don’t
suit her as much as her
signature close-cropped
pixie cut, but it’s the silky
scrunched black bow on her
head that’s killing me because
this woman isn’t 18 any more. | 4 Thankfully, Tautou found her
fashion mojo again and closed the
tour with a bang in New York. She
exudes both attitude and elegance
in this black and white silk
embroidered number with heavily
sequined shoulders from Chanel’s
haute couture collection.
That unexpected quirky slicked-back
pompadour also gets a big oui. |
This article was first published in The New Paper.
