PARIS (AP) — Chemena Kamali said it with flower prints. A good old-style collection that set a few themes on the table and spent the rest of the Paris Fashion Week Sunday show refining them — proof that focus can still feel new.
Kamali, now in her third stint at Chloé, knows the house from the inside. German-born like Karl Lagerfeld, she worked here under both Phoebe Philo and Clare Waight Keller before returning as creative director last year.
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A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Designer Chemena Kamali acknowledges applause after the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Models wear creations as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Chloé was founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion and is widely credited with inventing Parisian ready-to-wear — a freer, more feminine alternative to couture. Kamali’s vision taps that core: the romantic lightness and movement Aghion set in motion; Lagerfeld’s ’70s capes and lace; the 2000s “Chloé girl” ease; flashes of Stella McCartney’s wit. The project remains clothes by women, for women — “intuitive” dressing that evolves like life itself.
The prints weren’t just pretty; they set the tempo. Then the silhouette widened: a trapeze line in pearlized yellow, coats and skirts layered, knotted, and lightly gleaming — surface alive, structure calm. Color and the clean flash of leg kept the message Chloé: feminine without fuss.
One pastel look crystallized the mood — draped, ruched, pleated — its ’80s maxi-shoulders and dropped waist drawing a long, confident line.
The dropped hem returned in a gray coatdress with quiet authority. A tan coat-skirt, waist cinched, hovered between coat and dress and didn’t need to choose. Frills and belts threaded through like a house refrain.
The references were tuned rather than shouted: Lagerfeld’s ’70s fluidity, the 2000s “Chloé girl,” a measured dose of ’80s structure to ground the float. It read as memory put to work.
A caution remains. When shoulders harden and outerwear gains weight, Chloé’s natural freshness can dim. Here, that heft mostly served the line, though a couple of exits pressed the limit.
Still, the sum was clear and persuasive: romance with discipline, past speaking to present, ideas carried through instead of piled on. Chloé, steadying its rhythm — and selling the feeling as much as the clothes.
A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Designer Chemena Kamali acknowledges applause after the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Models wear creations as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A model wears a creation as part of the Chloe Spring/Summer 2026 collection presented in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Managerless Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
At the end of a week that saw the storied Premier League team fire head coach Ruben Amorim, the loss at Old Trafford has likely consigned United to another trophyless season and was greeted with loud jeers from the home crowd.
Interim coach Darren Fletcher admitted the 20-time English champion was “not in a good moment,” but said it was too soon to write the season off with Champions League qualification still achievable.
“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because they've been winning cups and challenging for the Premier League,” he said. “Don't waste the season. That would be the challenge that I would set. That’s the challenge that probably the players feel like they need to achieve this year.”
Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored what proved the decisive goal in the 64th minute, and Benjamin Sesko's late header was only a consolation for the hosts in the third-round match.
United has exited both domestic knockout competitions at the earliest possible stage this season, following the humbling loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the English League Cup. The latest defeat means United will play the bare minimum of 40 competitive games for a top division team this season.
Its only chance of silverware this term is the Premier League, which would require a remarkable turnaround with United currently seventh in the standings and 17 points behind leader Arsenal with 17 games left.
A trophyless campaign would be back-to-back seasons in which United has ended up empty-handed.
The club's hierarchy hope an interim coach will be able to salvage the season by securing Champions League qualification. United has spoken to former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick about taking on the role until the summer. Fletcher, who has taken charge of the two games since Amorim's departure, is also a contender, as well as former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The loss to Brighton underlined the challenge facing the interim coach.
“Any time you come in at Manchester United, it’s a massive job,” Fletcher said. “It’s not about a manager, it’s not about directors. It’s about everyone and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season.”
Brajan Gruda fired Brighton ahead in the 12th, with Welbeck doubling the advantage after the break. Sesko scored his third goal in two games in the 85th, but substitute Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later and United could not force an equalizer to take the game to extra time.
“I gave it my best and ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result today,” said Fletcher, who drew his other game in charge 2-2 with relegation-fighting Burnley.
Arsenal advanced earlier Sunday with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.
Martinelli's treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.
Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own-goal.
Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for Arsenal.
Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from the penalty spot in the first half.
“It’s always tough to go into these places, especially in the manner that we started the game, conceding the early goal, but we managed to turn things around so I’m very happy,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but victory against Portsmouth maintains its four-pronged trophy pursuit along with the Premier League title, the Champions League and the English League Cup.
“I think we are very privileged to be where we are, and the games that we have to play, which means that we are in every competition,” Arteta said.
Top-flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.
Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat trick. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement later said that U.S. international Josh Sargent refused to play in the game.
Relegation-fighting West Ham needed extra time to beat QPR 2-1. Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos’ goal saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s team end a 10-match winless run.
West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Hull won 4-3 against Blackburn on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Brighton's Danny Welbeck celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Manchester United and Brighton in Manchester, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Manchester United's Matheus Cunha reacts during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Manchester United and Brighton in Manchester, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Leeds United's James Justin scores their side's third goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Leeds United's Ao Tanaka, right, celebrates with Wilfried Gnonto after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Arsenal players celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
