Books have a unique power to stir emotions, spark debates, and leave us with lingering thoughts. That’s where literary clubs step in—a place for curious minds to unpack those feelings, debate, and connect. Chanel recognizes this with Rendez-vous Littéraires Rue Cambon, created by the house’s ambassador Charlotte Casiraghi, taking Chanel from haute couture to the world of the written word.

The series invites figures like writer Édouard Louis, philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, and other cultural icons to dive deep into meaningful works. And their latest edition took over the iconic 7L library—Karl Lagerfeld’s own brainchild—to honour a legend of French literature, Sidonie Gabrielle Colette, or simply, Colette. In a literary pause during Fashion Week’s dazzling chaos, the event celebrated works of this bold author whose unique writing still resonates fiercely with modern readers, especially women.

As passages from Colette’s works were read aloud, a knowing smile passed through the crowd as they heard the words of a woman who unapologetically lived by her desires—a guilty pleasure many wish they could embrace. Casiraghi, once former founding member of the pristine literary club Les Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco, had carefully curated a group well-versed in Colette’s work, including Colette scholar Olivia Gesbert and actress Clémence Poésy, who served as the evening’s featured reader, guiding the discussion with both reverence and wit.

Clémence Poésy kicked off the evening with a reading from Colette’s Chéri, drawing everyone into the author’s vivid world. Colette didn’t just believe in instincts—she lived by them. While most people grow into that kind of trust with age, for her, it came naturally. The group dove into lines like “my body writes my words” and “love is the bread and butter to my pen,” unpacking her commitment to following her gut. As discussion flowed, attendees shared thoughts, peeling back layers of Colette’s bold self-assurance and exploring the fearless creativity that drove her many works.

What stood out most in the event was how the hosts eagerly drew parallels between Colette and Coco Chanel, seeing both as more than icons—they pushed against conventions and embodied their own unique individuality. Both were liberated, tomboyish, and astute businesswomen, intelligent yet grounded. As Olivia Gesbert put it, ‘Colette, much like Gabrielle Chanel, was a great designer of the 20th century’—not with fabric, but with words and ideas, crafting a cultural legacy with the same daring spirit Chanel brought to fashion.

With each new edition, Les Rendez-vous Littéraires Rue Cambon has become to literature what Cahiers du Cinéma and the Criterion Collection are to cinema—a space that dissects, celebrates, and preserves the art of storytelling.

GRAZIA eagerly awaits the next chapter of this salon-style initiative, as Casiraghi continues to spark fresh conversations that invite readers, thinkers, and dreamers to lose themselves in the world of words.