Most Paris Fashion Weeks, Laura Dern is a fixture in Gabriela Hearst's front row. This season, she wasn't satisfied just sitting and watching the new collection walk by. She wanted to wear it down the runway herself.
Two nights after Dern attended the New York premiere of Jay Kelly, she jetted to the City of Lights for her modeling debut. The Big Little Lies actor had the honor of opening Hearst's 38-piece collection in a white floor-length gown on October 1.
Dern's sleeveless, scoop-neck dress was covered in 3D floral appliqués. It was the only dress to feature this abstract motif, while others played with fringe, knitted stars, and metallic leaves.
Though the corded necklace trend was the collection's calling card, Dern went noticeably pendant-less. Her only accessory? Double-strap sandals, which will be everywhere once again by next spring. Her flip-flops were stark white—to match the maxi dress—and included little to no hardware. They felt like something her Big Little Lies character, Renata Klein, would wear to the coast.
Style enthusiasts were certainly shocked by Dern's runway appearance (in the best way, of course). Turns out, she teased the surprise mere days ago. Stylist Elizabeth Stewart—who's simultaneously dressing Julia Roberts and Amanda Seyfried—outfitted Dern in Gabriela Hearst for the Jay Kelly premiere.
Dern embraced her sultry side in all-black lace, starting with a balconette bodysuit underneath the matching, $10,070 slip dress. The monochrome continued with mesh tights and a cape.
The $10,920 cloak turned Dern's Gabriela Hearst look witchy, just in time for October. It also felt so timely—Marie Claire called capes one of 2025's "biggest fashion trends" back in Dec. 2024. Hearst's denim ponchos helped start the renaissance. Most recently, her Spring 2026 show introduced a suede cape-shawl hybrid.
Gabriela Hearst casting Laura Dern for its Spring 2026 fashion show is anything but random. The actor has religiously sourced the New York label since 2019, even wearing custom Gabriela Hearst at the 2024 Emmy Awards. It was only right to give her a spot in the show. Who knows? Maybe this is the start of a new Paris Fashion Week tradition.
