Exclusive: Riley Keough Discusses Her Performance at Chanel’s PFW Show

Keough says she was drawn to the event not only out of her loyalty to Chanel, but also thanks to the runway show’s setting this fall: For the first time since 2021, Chanel returned to the Grand Palais, which had been previously closed for renovations. “It was the first time back, and it just felt like such a beautiful place,” Keough says.

In terms of makeup, Keough says the house let her “do my own version” of what the models sported on the runway. She selected a bold winged eyeliner and bronzed blush to pair with her shimmering black jumpsuit and matching cape.

“I think the older I get, the more I appreciate it, actually,” Keough says of the artistry and production that goes into runway collections.

As the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, Keough comes from a long line of music and fashion royalty. She says she’s been attending fashion weeks for “maybe like 20 years” now, and “I just fall in love with it more and more each year.”

For the performance, Chanel outfitted Keough in a black buttoned jumpsuit, “which fit me really perfectly already,” and paired it with a sheer cape that’d catch the breeze as the singer swayed over the guests.

Although Keough’s show took place on a swing rather than a trapeze, “so it was a little bit different” from Paradis’ advertisement, she nevertheless wanted to keep the references clear—so she and Chanel selected an all-black look to mimic Paradis’ own.

She says that there were “a couple versions” of the cape itself, which was adjusted throughout rehearsals to “figure out what would be a good length on the swing.”

Keough’s relationship with Chanel has endured for a decade, strengthened, the actress says, by the house’s commitment to “music and cinema.” She adds, “They support artists in so many ways, which is very inspiring to me.”

One memorable full-circle scene from the show? As Keough sang above the crowd, she looked down and locked eyes with Paradis sitting in the audience. “I looked down and saw Vanessa, and it was such a special moment because she was kind of the only person who I made real eye contact with,” Keough says.

“I think that doing creative work is cathartic for artists,” Keough says. “It’s cathartic to make; it’s cathartic to watch it. Hopefully, anyway!”