The I May Destroy You actress turned heads at Chanel’s Biarritz cruise show. Here’s how to get her refined summer look on a real-world budget.
When Michaela Coel arrived at Chanel’s cruise show in Biarritz, the conversation shifted almost immediately from runway to her. The actress, known for her work in I May Destroy You and upcoming projects including Mother Mary and The Christophers, showed up wearing a black spaghetti-strap midi dress that felt effortless without trying too hard. It was understated in the best way, the kind of dressing that doesn’t announce itself but holds attention anyway.
The ensemble was complete Chanel, from the raffia sandals to the matching black raffia handbag, and then a burst of red statement earrings that pulled everything together. Those earrings were doing heavy lifting. They echoed subtle detailing in her shoes and bag, creating the kind of cohesion that looks accidental but isn’t. It’s the move of someone who understands how color works in an outfit, not just what colors are available.
What made the look work wasn’t the label. It was the formula. A clean silhouette, natural texture in the accessories, and one bold color note placed exactly right. That formula is entirely reproducible.
Coel and the case for minimalist dressing
There’s a reason Coel keeps landing on best-dressed lists without wearing floor-length gowns or experimental cuts. She gravitates toward clothing that fits well and lets the person wearing it do the work. The Biarritz dress was a perfect example. No cutouts, no embellishment, just a midi length that hits at the right point and fabric that drapes without slouching.
This approach to dressing is having a moment right now. After a few years of maximalism dominating the conversation, the fashion world is moving back toward pieces that last more than one season. What Coel wore at that show wouldn’t look dated in three years. That’s the goal.
View this post on Instagram
How to build the look without the Chanel budget
The good news is that every element of her outfit maps cleanly onto affordable alternatives. Here’s how the breakdown works.
The dress is the foundation, and what you’re looking for is a sleek black midi with thin straps and a clean fall. Zara’s current lineup has several options that hit that brief, and the fit on their midi cuts tends to be reliable. You’re not trying to find an exact copy. You’re trying to find a dress that behaves the same way.
The bag is where texture comes in. Coel’s raffia handbag gave the outfit a summer warmth that a patent leather or structured bag wouldn’t have. Banana Republic Factory has a straw mini bucket crossbody that does the same job at a fraction of the cost. The size matters here. Something too large starts to compete with the dress. Something small and structured keeps the proportion right.
The sandals should stay in the same texture family as the bag. Peep-toe sandals with any raffia or woven detailing, like the options in Sam Edelman’s current collection, extend the cohesion from the feet up. This is the pairing detail that makes the outfit feel considered rather than coincidentally assembled.
The earrings are where the look either works or falls flat. Coel’s red choice wasn’t loud for the sake of it. Red against black is a clean, graphic contrast, and keeping the earring shape refined, nothing dangling to the shoulder, keeps it sharp. ASOS carries several options in bold red with clean silhouettes that land in this territory without overreaching.
The actual skill Coel is demonstrating
What separates a good copycat version from a great one is restraint. The temptation when recreating a look like this is to add more. Another accessory, a more interesting shoe, a bag with extra detail. Coel’s version works precisely because she stopped. The earrings were the final punctuation and she left it there.
Building something like this at any price point comes down to the same instinct. Choose pieces that share a visual logic, natural textures next to each other, a single bold color against a neutral base, and then stop adding. The outfit does not need to be explained. It just needs to fit.
What Coel wore in Biarritz wasn’t a styling accident. It was a point of view, executed with a light touch. The most useful thing about it is that the point of view costs nothing to borrow.
