Emma Chamberlain Thinks Miu Miu Is the Hot Preppy Nostalgia We All Need

Gen Z’s favorite trendsetter attended the brand’s show for the first time.

Outside of the venue for the Miu Miu show in Paris this past Tuesday, I had a brief moment of panic thinking I might have been at the wrong address. And then, from a distance, I heard a group of screaming girls yelling Emma Chamberlain’s name and knew I had to be at the right place.

Chamberlain is one of the only influencers who genuinely sets the trends for her generation. Every time a new season rolls around, users on TikTok and Instagram wonder, “What is Emma Chamberlain wearing?” And only once she has graced their feeds with her seasonal looks can they proceed to build out their wardrobe for the next couple of months. Miu Miu is like the brand equivalent of Chamberlain in that sense. When Mrs. Prada sends something down the Miu Miu runway, the masses will happily follow. So it is a surprise to hear that the Spring 2024 show was Chamberlain’s first time being in attendance.

And yet, after the show, she told me, “It sort of feels like a reunion. I became close with the Miu Miu team in a very intimate way during the Met Gala last year when I had the pleasure of wearing a custom gown made by them. It felt warm and familiar to re-enter their world again.”

She first entered Miu Miu’s universe in Paris, actually, years ago. “I was shopping at Galleries Lafayette for the first time, and I strolled into the Miu Miu store. I laid eyes on a pair of pale blue, white, and red gloves,” she said. “My jaw literally dropped. I had never been excited about a pair of gloves before. They were somehow lighthearted and edgy at the same time. I’ve been a fan ever since.”

And just like the girls that look to her for inspiration, Chamberlain looks to Miu Miu for hers. “It has proven to be the brand that sets trends for my generation. It’s particularly approachable for young women because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s youthful and fun. Miu Miu is the trendsetter, so who wouldn’t want to be a Miu Miu girl?”

But what exactly is a Miu Miu girl? Chamberlain thinks it could be a “16 year old” or a “90 year old” because it’s playful and youthful in a way that’s not exclusionary or exclusive. “A Miu Miu girl is a little bit of everything. She is rebellious yet sweet. She is nostalgic yet innovative. She is playful yet chic.” Chamberlain is evidently a Miu Miu girl and she knows it, “I definitely think I am.”

Chamberlain’s look for the show was a blazer worn buckled and layered on top of a long blue button down; her gray socks were pulled up unevenly at her ankles and worn with black loafers. There were small velvet ribbons in her two braids and she had a tiny Cartier Baignoire wrapped around her neck like a choker. When she appeared on the runway to take a photo before the show began, a seatmate next to me squealed and said, “Emma Chamberlain is serving hot nerd Gossip Girl realness.”

Chamberlain told me she thought of the Spring 2024 collection in a similar way, with different words. “The show reminded me of the end of summer. When the weather is still warm but you feel autumn coming in the air. The preppy collared shirts, sweaters, and boat shoes paired with bathing suit-esque details and sandals painted that picture perfectly for me. It reminded me of the mid 2010’s, when preppy was hot. It made me nostalgic. I’ve been thinking about buying boat shoes for months, and now that Miu Miu has a pair, I’ll definitely be adding them to my wardrobe.”

And so Gen Z’s long awaited answer to what Chamberlain will be wearing this season has arrived—and it’s obviously Miu Miu.

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Source: HarpersBazaar.com