Life is back, a little bit. There were grand sporting events, but more importantly Cannes was back in almost its full glory. Celebrities and fabulous people are stepping out again in their Sunday best, and while for the most of us it’s still walking the high wire with the virus, at least there has been a little bit of something visually pleasing to enjoy.

Let’s start with how fabulous Tilda Swinton is.

You’re welcome.

(My guess for achieving that skin at 60: stay the **** out of the sun. Living in Scotland obviously helps.)
(Extra tip: never forget to apply SPF on your hands if/when eventually emerging outdoors.)

And all the grey hair trending on the Croisette! Is it the pandemic or are we witnessing something bigger here?

And while the Cannes Film Festival, being the sartorially cooler red-carpet event compared to the Hollywood versions, is the place where one might spot the more avant-garde fashions and hairstyles, the latest behind the scenes-shots from “…And Just Like That” (the Sex And the City limited series reboot) show that it is OK to sport grey hair in -gasp- New York as well. Extra points to Cynthia Nixon for choosing a dress by Belgian Dries van Noten.

I couldn’t help but wonder: is being openly middle aged (finally) cool now?

And if all of this wasn’t enough, there’s also Phoebe Philo who’s making a comeback in January 2022 with her eponymous fashion brand. Everybody, and literally everybody, has already started trading kidneys to get their bit of Philo (prices are going to exorbitant), but what is truly worth celebrating is a middle aged woman returning to the fashion frontline to run her own show. There are not very many of them on the wearable high-fashion front: only Stella McCartney and Maria Grazia Chiuri (currently Christian Dior’s artistic director) immediately come to mind.

Philo is the one from the good old days when Céline still came with an é (the accent was dropped when she left), known and much loved for designing for the female gaze and also the one who started the ugly sandal trend that’s now all over the place, with Birkenstock leading the pack with their perpetually cool collaborations. This is the portrait that was released with the announcement of Philo’s rentrée:

…and just like that, clutching at my anti-aging ointments and making a pros/cons list of really needing both kidneys, I’m ready for the hot middle aged woman summer. Bring it on.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/AcVFtu-ZmmM

Top photo credit: @justlikethatmax / BLACKGRID