People have been acting like bows are a trend with an expiration date. But the reality is, the coquette aesthetic has major staying power. And maybe Chanel is to blame.
Chanel bags, shoes, and tops have been adorned with dainty bows for decades. Last night at the Emmys, Brie Larson wore a bow in her hair and a custom Chanel gown with a long satin bow sash tied around her waist. She was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance as Elizabeth Zott on Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry.
When I speak with Larson about the look days before the award show, she is sure to make note of the trending adornment. “I love bows, and I am such a sucker for Chanel hair bows, in particular,” she tells me. “To know that there’s a custom Chanel bow that is just the bow of my dreams is incredible … and it’s mine!”
The design process of the dress actually started with Zott. “It also feels like I'm representing her,” Larson says of her character. “This is the last thing that [the cast] will do for Lessons in Chemistry. It’s been a very prominent part of my life for four years, and it’s time to send it off in something that is literally wrapped up with a bow by Chanel.”
So the Chanel team decided to look back into the house’s archives for inspiration for a dress the fictional chemist and cooking-show host could have realistically worn. Of course, the team started with the ’50s and ’60s (which is when the show is set.) Then, they came back to Larson with a handful of references and drawings. “We landed on something that we’re all really excited about. And it’s very much inspired by the clothes that they were making of that time, but it still has all the trappings of it being very modern,” the Oscar winner says.
Chanel makeup artist Nina Park notes that Larson’s all-Chanel makeup look was also inspired by the era the show is set in: “When we first saw the sketch of her gown … we knew right away that we had to channel Catherine Deneuve’s timeless elegance and glamour.”
To create the defined but subtle look, Park used Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara in Noir for fluttery lashes and Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan Medium Bronze mixed with Chanel Sublimage La Crème Texture Universelle Ultimate Cream for a beautiful, sheer glow.
When I ask if there is any particular reason Larson loves bows, she replies that they just make her feel like herself. “It just makes me feel happy … it’s as simple as that,” she says. “I’m looking at a pair of shoes I have on my bed that have bows on them. They make me feel spiffy and youthful and energetic and happy. I just love them.”
Her Emmys gown—a custom navy peplum midi dress, with blue organza embroidered with drop crystal beads and petticoated with silk tulle and taffeta—took over 500 hours to make. It was inspired not just by the house’s incredible archive finds from over six decades ago, but also look 40 from the Chanel Fall/Winter 2024–25 couture collection. It’s the exact kind of piece anyone would cry over, which Larson admits is exactly what she did when she tried it on for the first time.
“There are these moments that you have in life where you’re like, ‘I can’t believe that this is my life.’ And this was definitely one of them,” she says. “Maybe it’s super cheesy to say, but when I saw it, I was overcome with the feeling of … ‘it is an honor to be nominated.’ ”
Tara Gonzalez is the Senior Fashion Editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Previously, she was the style writer at InStyle, founding commerce editor at Glamour, and fashion editor at Coveteur.
