Why Chemena Kamali Will Revitalise Chloe

Chemena Kamali’s appointment as Chloé’s creative director in October of 2023 – she took over from Gabriela Hearst – did not surprise those who knew her and the brand. This will be Kamali’s third time working at the house, having started in her early 20s as an intern when Phoebe Philo was at the helm. Though the ranks of creative directors in fashion may look very male at the moment, it wasn’t a shock that Chloé – the clothing label by and for women – hired a woman for the job. And while Kamali assures me that she is not the kind of leader who enjoys being front and centre, she also recognises that the outlook and ethos of the house dovetails nicely with her own style, which juxtaposes traditional femininity with carefree cool. “A lot of what I’m doing is from a really honest place,” she says, “just expressing the most honest form of femininity.” It is resonating. Kamali’s first runway show, in February this year, was one of the most warmly received debuts in recent history. There were sheer lacy blouses and rippling layers, everything in soft and appealing fabrics, punctuated by pieces with backbone – power-​dressing that was also undeniably feminine. Her models strode down the runway – hands in pockets, loose waves bouncing – to “Cloudbusting” by Kate Bush. Kamali’s friend Deck D’Arcy from the band Phoenix had helped choose the music, along with Kamali’s husband, Konstantin Wehrum, who moonlights as a music consultant for Chloé. (A management consultant, he helped Pfizer-Bi