It appeared that Chanel creative director Virginie Viard might have confided in Penélope Cruz ahead of the French Maison’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection presentation in Paris. In the city of lights, Cruz stepped out to sit front row in a silhouette that effortlessly evoked the promenading spirit of the new season offering. But it was Cruz’s newly-cropped razor-sharp lob that gave Viard’s disclosure away.
The Spanish actress and long-term ambassador for the house unveiled a sleek and lengthier take on the 1920s French bob that would’ve saturated the boardwalks of Deauville during Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s time there, no doubt paying homage to the influence the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) has over the luxuriate.
Just like the collection fused codes of the 1920s with the 1970s for a contemporary setting, Cruz modernised the style, too. Her first port of call was to lean into the elongated tendrils the 2020s iteration of the bob introduced, with Cruz’s cut finishing in an even layer an inch or so under her jawline. Striking the perfect balance between her face and shoulders, Cruz invoked the memory of the crop popular in the 90s. (And subsequently seen on contemporaries like Selma Hayek and Jennifer Aniston during the decade).
Her second action point was to brighten her signature brunette tresses with a wash of “recession-proof” bronde hues. The colour technique of bridging your natural tones with a lived-in blonde colour similar to your roots has been a star on the rise in salons and on social media. Here, Cruz makes a case for why the soft diffusion of blonde works, with gleans of latte, caramel and honey woven throughout her lightened base to create dimension and warmth. (Perfect as we head into cooler months!)
The finished effect was editorial yet lived-in, glossy without being over-saturated and perfect for the French seaside. Cruz’s golden refresh comes only two weeks after hitting the 2024 SAG Award red carpet with a mocha-toned bob offset by dramatic contrasting highlights.
As Cruz has concluded the press tour for the recent heart-racing drama Ferarri, and was snubbed of a ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award at the 2024 Oscars for her performance, it’s unclear whether we’ll see her (and her bob) at the upcoming Academy Awards. As always, you can expect GRAZIA to cover all major red carpet moments from the day, so if Cruz does debut another colour, you’ll hear it here first.
This article first appeared originally on GRAZIA International.