‘Book Club’ Star Jane Fonda (88) Owns the Paris Runway in Head-to-Toe Red Sequins

Few fashion moments feel as celebratory as L’Oréal Paris’s annual Le Défilé, a public runway show staged under the Eiffel Tower. The brand describes it as a celebration of women’s empowerment, inclusivity, freedom, confidence and sisterhood. It is open to everyone and livestreamed on Instagram, TikTok and L’Oréal Paris’s digital platforms.

This year’s ninth edition took place Monday, September 28, at Place Joffre, with the theme “Express Your Worth.” The show opened Paris Fashion Week, which runs until October 6. The lineup included generations of ambassadors, from newcomers to long-established faces.

Among them was one of the show’s most beloved regulars. Jane Fonda’s red sequin gown was one of the night’s biggest fashion moments, as the 88-year-old actress walked the runway in a long-sleeved red dress covered in sequins with a twisted, ruched neckline. She paired it with red T-strap heels and a matching red lip, with her silver curls styled in soft volume.

jane fonda the goddess you are pic.twitter.com/aN1NfrzhIg

— elizabeth (@graciferrr) September 29, 2026

The dress wasn’t the only thing that drew attention. After walking, Fonda shared a moment with Kristen Bell, who made her runway debut for the brand after being named a global ambassador in August. One report described Bell turning around after her walk to emphasize how incredible Fonda looked.

The look continues a tradition. Fonda walked the show in 2024 wearing a sparkling silver belted trench coat with silver-and-white sneakers. In 2025 she wore a head-to-toe gold sequin gown with a bejeweled neckline and square-toed gold pumps.

This year’s red version keeps that shimmering theme going. InStyle joked last year that Google would have to remove the word “former” from her description as a model. The two-time Oscar winner and ‘Barbarella’ star clearly enjoys the catwalk as much as the crowd enjoys watching her.

Fonda has also been open about what life looks like away from the fashion spotlight. In a conversation with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, she spoke about the difficulty of finding acting roles at her age. That candor gives her runway appearances an added edge, since they show her taking up space in a world that doesn’t always make room.

For many viewers, that contrast is part of the appeal. A glamorous walk in red sequins says something about visibility and confidence. It fits neatly with the show’s message.

Fonda was in good company. Kendall Jenner opened the show in a sheer black dress with a high neckline and a dramatic thigh-high slit. Heidi Klum, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, Eva Longoria, Andie MacDowell, Simone Ashley, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aja Naomi King also took part.

The lineup also included Anitta, Lindsey Vonn and ‘Off Campus’ star Mika Abdalla, who made her Paris Fashion Week debut. It was a mix of film, fashion and sport that reflects L’Oréal’s global reach.

The finale was a surprise. Céline Dion appeared at the end of the runway in a black gown and Boucheron jewelry and performed her 2002 hit ‘I’m Alive’ against the illuminated Eiffel Tower. The runway stars, including Davis, Ashley, King and Longoria, joined her for the closing moment.

The appearance carried extra emotion. Dion is in the middle of a Paris residency at La Défense Arena, which began September 12 and marked her first full concert in more than six years. Health issues, including stiff-person syndrome, forced her to cancel the rest of her Courage World Tour, and the residency includes 26 shows through May 2027. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was seen hugging her and dancing along.

The evening mixed glamour with a strong message. Watching stars of different ages share the runway made the event feel inclusive rather than exclusive. Fonda’s red gown, Bell’s debut and Dion’s surprise performance gave it memorable beats.

It also showed how a single fashion moment can spread widely. Photos and clips from the show have appeared across international outlets, from Croatia to South Africa. That reach is exactly what a public runway aims for.

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