Paris Couture Week

They say there are no accidents. My chance meeting with designer Steven Doan of Phan Huy, with Jill Reno, as we brunched at Le Meurice during Paris Fashion Week in March was proof of that. Phan Huy’s gowns struck me as beautiful works of art - so exquisite that both Jill and I were instantly captivated. We left brunch determined to help bring Phan Huy to the U.S.

What happened next felt destined. Within just over a month, Jill agreed to design all the jewelry for Phan Huy’s very first fashion show during Paris Couture Week in July - a spectacular double debut.

Being part of this creative journey was unforgettable. To witness Phan Huy’s initial sketches evolve into gowns, and then see Jill’s subsequent jewelry designs emerge in a dialogue with each piece - both refined, edited and perfected - was awe-inspiring. For a fashion lover like me, it was pure magic.

The culmination came in July, when I found myself seated front row at the Phan Huy Couture Show in Paris. Watching the gowns come alive, paired with Jill’s breathtaking jewels, was a thrill beyond words. The trip itself was a whirlwind - I flew in Sunday, departed Tuesday, and somehow managed to squeeze in fabulous meals and a little shopping between - but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

And in the sweetest twist of fate, the very first gown Jill pulled out back in March was the very same dress Steven asked her to wear in July. A perfect remind that, indeed, there are no accidents.