Aishwarya Rai Bachchan knows how to make an entrance. At L’Oréal Paris’ Le Défilé in Paris, the actor stepped onto the runway in a look that felt less like a traditional red-carpet moment and more like modern-day royalty, with an Eiffel Tower backdrop to match.
For the September 28 show, Aishwarya wore a dramatic two-piece velvet gown by Yara Shoemaker from the designer’s Fall/Winter 2026-27 couture collection. The ensemble brought together rich velvet, sculptural proportions and elaborate embellishment, creating a look that was unapologetically theatrical without losing its elegance.The real showstopper was the detailing. The velvet gown featured three-dimensional fringe embroidery, adding texture and movement to the silhouette, while a sweeping crystal-embellished cape brought an almost regal finish to the ensemble. As Aishwarya moved down the runway, the crystals caught the light, giving the otherwise dark look a luminous quality.It was a clever styling choice for Paris Fashion Week. Rather than leaning into minimalism, Aishwarya embraced the kind of high-impact glamour that has long been part of her fashion vocabulary. The velvet brought depth, the crystals supplied sparkle and the dramatic cape gave the entire look its grand finale.Aishwarya debuted a striking burgundy-red hair colour, adding a fiery hit of colour to the otherwise dark, jewel-toned look. The shade gave her beauty look a distinctly contemporary edge, while complementing the richness of the velvet rather than competing with it.
Her makeup stayed polished and glamorous, allowing the couture silhouette and new hair colour to remain the focal points. The overall effect was sophisticated but decidedly dramatic—a beauty-and-fashion moment designed to work as well in close-up photographs as it did on the runway.
The styling was by Mohit Rai, Tarang Agarwal and Chintan Shah, who kept the focus firmly on the architecture and embellishment of the Yara Shoemaker creation.
Aishwarya was among the international L’Oréal Paris ambassadors and personalities walking in the ninth edition of Le Défilé, which took place at Place Joffre against the Eiffel Tower. This year’s show, themed “Express Your Worth,” brought together names including Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria, Simone Ashley, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne and Jane Fonda.
