Photo from Instagram/@alex.eala
PARIS — Filipino tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala attended Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2027 runway presentation at the Grand Palais on Monday, October 5, making her Paris Fashion Week debut days after winning a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Japan.
Eala, 21, was accompanied by her mother, Rizza Eala, at the presentation of the French fashion house’s latest collection by artistic director Matthieu Blazy.
The athlete wore a Chanel tweed jacket over a black top, paired with faded denim trousers, oversized sunglasses and a handbag.
Speaking to Vogue Philippines, Eala described the experience as surreal.
“It’s so surreal to experience the collection, to experience Chanel in Paris,” she said. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way for my first show.”
Eala also shared photographs from the event on Instagram, thanking Chanel and commenting on the collection’s combination of historical references and contemporary design.
Blazy’s Spring-Summer 2027 collection explored different periods in the life of Chanel founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. According to the fashion house’s collection notes, the designs emphasized freedom of movement through lightweight fabrics, updated tailoring and new interpretations of its signature tweed suits.
The presentation featured a suspended moon and illuminated birds above the runway. International guests included Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa and Pedro Pascal.
Although the event marked Eala’s first Paris Fashion Week appearance, she previously attended presentations by Tory Burch, Michael Kors and Calvin Klein during New York Fashion Week in September.
Her visit to Paris followed the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she earned her second women’s singles bronze medal after losing to China’s Wang Xiyu in the October 1 semifinals. Eala also won singles bronze at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In August, she became the first Filipina to win a main-tour Women’s Tennis Association singles title, defeating American Jessica Pegula in the rain-delayed Washington final. The victory helped Eala break into the world’s top 20 for the first time.
Ranked No. 18 during her Paris appearance, Eala is entered in the Wuhan Open in China, scheduled for October 12–18. She is also listed for the Hong Kong Tennis Open in November.
