From Dua Lipa to Keira Knightley, the most iconic Chanel brides of all time
The Chanel wedding dress has captivated imaginations for decades. From Karl Lagerfeld to Matthieu Blazy, the house has dressed some of the most photographed women in the world on their wedding day. A look back at the unions where haute couture met pop culture.
Dua Lipa and Sofia Richie, Chanel’s brides of the new generation
In June 2026, Dua Lipa married Callum Turner in Italy wearing a haute couture creation adorned with feathers, sequins and lace. In doing so, she became the first Chanel bride of the Matthieu Blazy era, putting an end to months of speculation.
Sofia Richie, meanwhile, chose the house for her wedding to Elliot Grainge at the Cap Eden-Roc in April 2023. Lionel Richie’s daughter worked closely with the Parisian ateliers to design a lace-and-sequin embroidered mermaid gown with a bateau neckline.
Both weddings speak to a powerful trend. Choosing a Chanel creation for the altar means committing to a recognised savoir-faire and a silhouette conceived entirely from scratch.
Karl Lagerfeld, architect of the Chanel bride
At the close of his haute couture shows, Karl Lagerfeld would often send out the model of the moment in an exquisite white wedding gown. From Shalom Harlow to Cara Delevingne and Adut Akech, the bride was a central figure in his stagecraft.
When a celebrity later wore one of those creations to the altar, the moment took on a particular dimension. The line between runway and real life dissolved, and the dress became a cultural object in its own right.
“The invitation said 4 o’clock, but five minutes past, a latecomer rushed in to find only the groom, four other guests, a cluster of photographers and 60 gilt chairs arranged in rows, with names on the seats: Boy George, David Bailey, Rupert Everett. Already, it felt more like a fashion show than a wedding.” The New York Times, on the wedding of Kristen McMenamy
Kristen McMenamy, Lily Allen, Caroline Sieber: three brides by Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld himself walked Kristen McMenamy down the aisle for her wedding to photographer Miles Aldridge. For his muse, he designed an asymmetrically draped silk chiffon gown. Kristen McMenamy paired it with a feathered headpiece by Philip Treacy.
The ceremony brought together Naomi Campbell as maid of honour, alongside guests including Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik. The event felt far more like a fashion show than a traditional wedding, as the New York Times wryly observed.
- Kristen McMenamy: asymmetrically draped silk chiffon gown, Philip Treacy headpiece, Naomi Campbell as maid of honour
- Lily Allen: a floaty white dress with an embroidered bodice and empire waist for her 2011 wedding to Sam Cooper
- Caroline Sieber: a silhouette inspired by Empress Sisi, after 11 fittings in the Parisian salons
- Sofia Richie: lace-and-sequin embroidered mermaid gown, created with the haute couture ateliers in 2023
- Dua Lipa: the first bride of the Matthieu Blazy era, in a feather-and-sequin creation in 2026
Caroline Sieber and the imperial inspiration
Stylist Caroline Sieber required 11 fittings at the Parisian salon to finalise her dress. Her inspiration came from an 1865 portrait of Empress Elisabeth, known as Sisi, depicted in a silver-grey gown with bare shoulders and balloon sleeves.
Karl Lagerfeld had used a similar sleeve in a haute couture collection from 1985, pairing it with a pale blue draped bow to create a timeless silhouette. Plum Sykes described the dress in the September 2013 issue of US Vogue: “Her train pooled around her in a magnificent sweep; against the marble and stone of the church, the silk of her dress looked like the colour of sunlight passing through clouds.”
Keira Knightley, the bride who wore her dress three times
In 2013, Keira Knightley married James Righton in a private ceremony in the south of France. Her short blush-pink tulle dress, worn with ballet flats, swept across the internet. Its unconventional nature surprised people almost as much as the name behind it: Karl Lagerfeld.
Yet it was not the first time the actress had worn the dress in public. Back in February 2008, she had already appeared in it at a pre-BAFTAs party. Five years later, she wore it again for her May 2013 wedding.
A few months after the ceremony, Keira Knightley added knit sleeves and wore the dress to a charity event. No one has made quite as much use of their wedding dress as the British actress, turning a piece of haute couture into a true companion for life.
