By Phillza Mirza, February 2026
KARL LAGERFELD Returns to Paris with Paris Hilton
There’s something quietly knowing about the way KARL LAGERFELD returns to Paris for Spring Summer 2026. For its latest campaign, From Paris with Love, the House reunites with Paris Hilton, stepping back inside its Left Bank headquarters at 21 Rue Saint-Guillaume, a space that feels less like a set and more like a living archive.
This is Hilton’s second season with the brand, and the familiarity shows. When her first campaign with the House launched last season, the reaction felt immediate. “It meant so much to me. I felt so supported by my fans and the fashion community,” she says. People connected to the confidence of it, to the attitude. She describes working with KARL LAGERFELD as something that feels natural, and that sense of ease carries into this new chapter.
Shot by long-time collaborator Chris Colls, the imagery moves through the Maison with ease, letting personality and place do the work. The campaign doesn’t lean on reinvention or revisionism; instead it sits comfortably in the present tense. Hilton isn’t playing a role here. She occupies the space with the kind of assuredness that comes from understanding exactly where you are and why you’re there.
She recalls a particular shift on set. “The energy on set. There’s a particular moment when everything just clicks and you stop thinking and start living in it. It felt effortless and empowering.” That atmosphere is visible in the final images, polished and composed without feeling over-directed.
The campaign unfolds across the KARL LAGERFELD, KARL LAGERFELD JEANS, and KARL LAGERFELD PARIS collections, but the tone remains consistent: composed, playful when it wants to be, grounded when it needs to be. Black-and-white framed anchor the main story, nodding to the House’s visual codes, while softer colour moments surface elsewhere, hinting at spring without spelling it out.
Hilton’s approach to dressing mirrors that balance. When asked to define her summer style, she calls it “playful, confident, iconic.” The words land lightly, but there is intention behind them. For her, the perfect summer look comes down to “effortless tailoring, breathable fabrics, and little details that make it feel special without trying too hard.” Effortless glamour, she adds, means “never trying too hard and always being yourself.”
That idea of fluidity runs through the campaign. Hilton has long outgrown the shorthand that once framed her as an “It Girl.” Today, she sees it differently. “It’s not about following trends – it’s about setting them.” The distinction feels aligned with the House itself, which has always valued direction over reaction.
Her connection to the brand goes beyond aesthetics. She speaks warmly about the team, describing their passion and thoughtfulness as reminiscent of Karl himself. The draw, she explains, lies in “the attitude, the energy, and the balance of structure and playfulness.” There is admiration there, but also responsibility. “Yes, I loved him and feel like I am honouring his mindset of staying ahead of the curve.” It is less about imitation and more about carrying forward a way of thinking.
Fashion, for Hilton, remains personal before it is performative. “A great outfit always makes me feel so much better and more confident.” In an industry that shifts constantly, she keeps her footing by trusting instinct. “I listen to my instincts and stay true to what feels right for me.” The values she shares with the brand are straightforward: “confidence, creativity, and the courage to take risks.”
The men’s collection is fronted by Sean O’Pry, whose understated energy balances the campaign’s rhythm. Where Hilton moves with familiarity, O’Pry brings restraint, grounding the visual with a quieter confidence. Together, they create a dialogue that feels contemporary without trying too hard to prove it.
Elsewhere, the return of the K/Autograph range, stamped with Karl’s unmistakable signature, acts as a reminder of lineage. As punctuation as opposed to a closing statement. Hilton describes ‘Sliving in the Maison’ as “living confidently, joyfully, and fully embracing who you are.” The phrase could easily feel throwaway, yet within the context of this campaign it lands with intention. It speaks to inhabiting a legacy without being overshadowed by it.
What From Paris with Love does well is resist over-explanation. It trusts the setting, the casting, and the clothes to speak for themselves. In an industry often eager to declare eras and moments, there’s something refreshing about a campaign that simply exists, self-assured and unfussy.
