ON TOUR - Vanessa Paradis, actress, singer, and muse

Vanessa Paradis was born in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés in Val-de-Marne in 1972 and rose to global fame at the age of 14 with the hit song “Joe le taxi,” which has been adapted into at least five languages, all the way to Vietnam! She is on tour in France and Belgium through to the end of July.

As an actress, she has appeared in some thirty films (her first was in 1989 with Jean-Claude Brisseau’s “Noces blanches”) and, more recently, on stage. Vanessa Paradis has also pursued an increasingly ambitious singing career, taking long breaks between each new recording. Since 1988, she has released only eight albums. Her most recent album, released in 2025 after a hiatus of nearly seven years, is titled “Le retour des beaux jours.” Following that, after a series of intimate concerts in 2019, she has been on the road since March 2026 for about forty shows and even a handful of summer festivals. But today, let’s focus instead on her wardrobe and her special relationship with Chanel, the famous fashion house on Rue Cambon in Paris.

It all began in… a cage! In 1991, in a short film directed by Jean-Paul Goude, the man behind Grace Jones’s extravagant album covers and an iconic Citroën ad featuring the same “Black Goddess,” the photographer-director cast her as a cheeky bird-in-a-cage to promote the oriental-scented fragrance “Coco.” Launched in 1984 and created by perfumer Jacques Polge, it has always struggled somewhat to make its mark in the shadow of the famous “N°5,” launched on May 5, 1921 (with no specific time given!) by Gabrielle Chanel herself, in collaboration with perfumer Ernest Beaux. At the time, it was nothing short of a revolution, since the fragrance—as the pros say—combined natural extracts (May rose and jasmine, always harvested in the Grasse region) with synthetic ingredients (known as aldehydes). A rarity back then!

Since that first high-profile collaboration, Vanessa Paradis has become a true icon for Chanel. She can be seen promoting various bag styles from the “Cambon” line (2004) as well as the “Coco Cocoon” line (2010). She is often seen carrying the “Girl” model on her arm. Following a chance encounter on a flight between London and Paris, Jean-Louis Dumas (then CEO of Hermès) followed Jane Birkin’s recommendations to offer her a bag tailored to her specifications—which became “The Birkin,” a bestseller, but one with a waiting list. The world of luxury sometimes likes to make itself sought-after. Before passing away in February 2019, Karl Lagerfeld, for his part, did not name any of his creations after Vanessa, even though he saw her as a “muse.”

From Dubai (back when Benjamin Biolay was her partner and wrote songs for her) to Saint-Tropez for a memorable cruise collection show, Vanessa Paradis has been a faithful attendee at Chanel’s presentations in Paris. In October 2025 (see photo), for Chanel’s return to the Grand Palais and the official debut of the new Belgian-French designer Mathieu Blazy, she was seen in excellent company, with Nicole Kidman to her right and Etienne Daho to her left. As is typical at Chanel, the fashion house is also courting other rising stars and established names such as Gracie Adams, Lorde, Angèle, Dua Lipa, and Doja Cat.

Upcoming concerts:

July 11, 2026: LaSemo Festival – Enghien (Belgium) – Info and reservations at: www.lasemo.be

Belgium’s most family-friendly (and eco-friendly) festival takes place in the magnificent grounds of Enghien Castle, near Brussels, from Friday, July 10, through Sunday, July 12. With a lineup that’s as eclectic and varied as ever, highlights include Julien Doré, Solann, and Gaël Faye (Friday), Nile Rodgers, Vanessa Paradis, Mentissa, and Sam Sauvage (Saturday), as well as Xavier Rudd, Polo & Pan, Puggy, and 2 Many DJ’s (Sunday).

(Stéphane Soupart - Photo: © Courtesy of Chanel)

Photo: Vanessa Paradis (center) attends Chanel’s Spring/Summer ready-to-wear fashion show on October 6, 2025, with Nicole Kidman to her right and Etienne Daho to her left

And next...

• June 25, 2026 — Corderie Royale site, Rochefort (Les Sœurs Jumelles Festival).
• June 26, 2026 — Jardin des Plantes, Montauban (Montauban en Scènes).
• July 2, 2026 — La Nuit de l’Erdre (Parc du Port Mulon, Nort-sur-Erdre).
• July 3, 2026 — Cognac Blues Passions (Jardin Public, Cognac).
• July 5, 2026 — Festival Beauregard (Hérouville-Saint-Clair).
• July 10, 2026 — Festival de la Côte d’Opale (Boulogne-sur-Mer).
• July 17, 2026 — Poupet Festival (Théâtre de Verdure, Saint-Malo-du-Bois).
• July 18, 2026 — Lovely Brive Festival (Théâtre de Verdure, Brive-la-Gaillarde).
• July 19, 2026 — Les Vieilles Charrues (Carhaix).
• July 24, 2026 — Carpentras (Hôtel-Dieu).
• July 25, 2026 — Paleo Festival, Nyon (sold out).
• July 29, 2026 — Aiò Festival (Ajaccio, Théâtre de Verdure du Casone).
• July 31, 2026 — Monte Carlo Summer Festival (Opéra Garnier, Monaco).