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‘Practical Magic 2’ Star Nicole Kidman (59) Dives Into Chanel for a Sun-Soaked Vogue Australia Shoot Photographed by Lachlan Bailey

ByHrvoje Milakovic Published on
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Fashion magazines rarely pick a cover star at random. They look for someone whose story fits the moment, whose face can carry a collection and whose relationship with the industry has a history. For Vogue Australia, that person keeps turning out to be Nicole Kidman.

The latest example comes in the magazine’s November issue, which pairs a new cover story with a series of photographs that have been circulating widely. The images show a looser, more playful side of the actress, and they land at a time when Chanel is making a big push in Australia.

Nicole Kidman was photographed by Lachlan Bailey for Vogue Australia, and the shoot includes a standout look of a black Chanel cap with the double-C logo, a black scalloped top and wet-look blonde hair against a bright white background. The editorial was styled by Christine Centenera and accompanies an interview in which Kidman reflects on feeling increasingly at ease with herself at 59. It’s a shoot built around confidence rather than spectacle.

For the cover, Kidman wore a look from Chanel’s Cruise 2026/27 collection, including a red-and-black striped quarter-zip sweater and a layered black-and-white skirt with dramatic fringing. She posed on the ground with her arms stretched overhead as the skirt fanned outward. The pose gave the image a sense of movement that matched the playful tone.

The Chanel connection runs deeper than one shoot. Last year, Chanel welcomed Kidman back as a global ambassador under Matthieu Blazy, and the cover also celebrates Chanel bringing its Resort 2027 collection to Australia for the first time. That makes the partnership feel like a homecoming for both the brand and the actress.

Several of the inside images were shot in and around the water. One shows Kidman in shimmering blue water, her wet hair falling around her face, while another has her standing against a cream wall wearing a gold Chanel emblem on her top. Her friends in the industry were quick to react, including Elle Fanning and Joey King.

Kidman herself described the experience as one of fully embracing the warmth, the beach setting and the emotion behind each photograph. She called it her twelfth Vogue Australia cover, a number that shows how closely she’s associated with the title.

Her relationship with the magazine goes back years. She starred on the cover of its 60th anniversary issue in December 2019, photographed by Inez and Vinoodh, and she returned in February 2024 with a bold, heavily stylized look shot by Steven Klein that included a live snake. Editor-in-chief Christine Centenera, who has styled many of these shoots, has steered the magazine toward big, statement-making covers.

Kidman has also played a role behind the scenes. For Victoria Beckham’s August 2024 Vogue Australia cover, she conducted the cover interview herself, Zooming in from a holiday in the Bahamas while Beckham was in Corsica. It’s an example of how deeply she’s woven into the magazine’s world.

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Part of the appeal is the contrast with her earlier covers. Instead of a dramatic transformation, this one feels natural and relaxed, with beachy hair, simple styling and an emphasis on comfort. That fits the theme of the accompanying interview, in which she talks about feeling increasingly comfortable in her own skin.

Kidman has spent much of this year in fashion’s spotlight. She appeared on the cover of British Vogue’s September issue, and her work with Chanel has included an April advertising campaign. The Australian shoot adds a homegrown chapter to that run.

The November issue is on stands now, and more images are expected to circulate as the magazine rolls out its digital coverage. For Chanel, the cover serves as a showcase for its Cruise and Resort collections as it expands its presence in Australia.

As for Kidman, the shoot reminds audiences that she remains one of the few actors who can move easily between film, television and the fashion world. It’s a balance she’s maintained for decades.

Which element of Nicole Kidman’s Vogue Australia shoot catches your eye the most?

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