Simone Ashley, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & Alia Bhatt Rep Brown Beauty On L'Oreal Paris Runway

There’s no question that Paris is the fashion capital of the world. From dedicated style enthusiasts to the Emily In Paris converts, eyes are firmly fixed on the annual spectacle that is Paris Fashion Week – and one of the highlights has certainly been the Le Défilé ‘Walk your Worth’ runway show hosted by L’Oréal Paris. 

Taking place at the famous Place de l’Opéra this week, the glamorous runway event featured global faces associated with the beauty brand, including the likes of Kendall Jenner, Jane Fonda, Andie Macdowell, Eva Longoria, Viola Davis and Cara Delevingne.

But three women involved that particularly sent social media (and us, of course) into a spin were British actor Simone Ashley and Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Alia Bhatt.

As is the case for many people of colour, South Asian communities have long faced the challenges posed by the beauty industry when it comes to issues such as colourism, whitewashed beauty standards and a lack of range in shades and textures. We’re starting to see a shift towards more inclusivity and the celebration of diversity, and the Le Défilé ‘Walk your Worth’ runway show is the latest example. 

Aishwarya has been associated with the brand for a decade, notably turning heads at the Cannes Film Festival red carpets many a time (L'Oreal Paris is usually the festival's beauty partner). Simone and Alia’s connections with L’Oreal Paris are more recent. Simone was named a brand ambassador for UK and Ireland in May this year, while Alia was announced as a global brand ambassador just this month. 

Whether it’s Simone becoming the first South Asian female lead to star in Netflix’s Bridgerton, Aishwarya arguably being the OG female Bollywood star to appear in Hollywood (well before Priyanka Chopra), or Alia starring in Netflix’s English-language film Heart Of Stone last year and walking the 2024 Met Gala red carpet in a sari – all three women have made waves in both South Asian communities and the mainstream. They’ve cemented their statuses as changemakers, making them obvious choices for a brand like L’Oreal Paris.

When it came to the runway, Aishwary walked in a custom red Mossi gown, Simone dazzled in a metallic Atlein dress, and Alia gave a nod to her roots by wearing a metal breastplate by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta and black velvet pants from his 2024 couture collection, Arunodaya.