“It’s been so joyful,” Gugu Mbatha-Raw says, of the weekend she’s just spent in Paris. “The sun is out, spring is springing – it’s so uplifting.” She’s also referring to the mood-boosting Zimmermann show that she’s just watched – her first time sitting front row for the Australian brand, and her reason for being in the French capital.
It’s a brand that feels like a particularly good fit for her because “it feels very freeing,” she explains. “A lot of characters that I’ve played recently have had hidden secrets and psychological burdens to deal with, which is really fun in acting. But for me, fashion is a place to really experiment and be playful. And I think that there’s something about Zimmermann that feels fresh and carefree. It’s a refreshing contrast to some of the characters I’ve played recently, and really helps me sort of blow that all away.”
Mbatha-Raw sitting front row at Zimmermann
One particular outfit on the catwalk that “made her smile” was a cricket sweater paired with matching trousers, while she’s also got her eye on one of the intricate feathered dresses. “This is something you can only experience from being at the show but as the model walked past I could hear the dress,” she describes. “It was an audible dress, which I loved.” She also really enjoyed the hair. “There was a lot of big hair, like mine,” she says with a smile, gesturing to her own curls. “I loved all the side parts, the big combed-out styles, the curly Afro shapes, that I’m always happy to see and celebrate on the runway.”
Backstage with Nicky Zimmermann
It’s been a while since the Surface star has been in Paris, so she’s been making the most of her time here. “It’s been a really sunny few days so I’ve been able to do a lot of walking around,” she tells me. “I actually went inside the Notre Dame for the first time, which I was really excited about, just to see that bit of history.” She strolled around Montmartre and along the Seine, popped to Soho House Paris (“Pigalle is such a cool neighbourhood”), grabbed an ice cream in the Latin Quarter and a coffee at Shakespeare and Company, before swinging by the Zimmermann store to pick up her look for the show: a playful floral-print three-piece short suit – perfect for the unseasonably warm weather. On her to-do list are a series of art galleries: the Musée d’Orsay is a particular favourite, and a friend has recommended Bourse de Commerce, home of the Pinault Collection. “I’ve also never been to the Louvre so I might try and go this afternoon”.
Mbatha-Raw is not one to plan specific outfits ahead of a trip (“It’s more chaotic than that”). Unlike her mother, who would lay her suitcase out three weeks before a holiday, the actress instead throws everything into a suitcase the night before – or even the morning of.
But, she has learned how to pack light; a recent week-long trip to Chad as part of her work as a UNHCR ambassador, where she had to be agile with hand luggage only, proved to be educational in more ways than one, teaching her that she really only needs the essentials. “But,” she admits, “I have brought a huge suitcase to Paris. It’s Paris!”
Here’s her essential overnight packing list:
The self-care essential
“I like an eye mask, because I don’t really like blue light – you never know what the light situation is going to be like in a hotel, but I like to be able to sleep well.”
The skin-care product
“If I’m doing a fashion event then I’ll bring a face mask or the little under eye patches. The Augustinus Bader masks – all of their skincare – is beautiful.”
The swimwear
“If I’m able to swim or go to a sauna or anything, then I definitely would always bring my bikini because I love swimming – especially if I’m in a city or if a hotel happens to have a steam room or a sauna. That to me is a way to let go.”
The mindfulness aid
“I would always bring my journal.”
The reading material
“I’m reading two things that are very different. One is Wuthering Heights. I haven’t seen the movie yet because I want to read the book first. I can’t believe I’ve never read Wuthering Heights!
“On the other end of the spectrum, I’m reading a factual book called Autocracy, Inc. It is about dictatorships, it’s really interesting. It was written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author called Anne Applebaum and it’s about geopolitics. So that’s the balance of the moment.”
The hardworking accessory
“Probably my loafers. I bought these Weejuns loafers when I was working in Vancouver last year. Now that it’s spring, I feel like for so long I’ve been schlepping along in boots or sneakers – a loafer feels a bit smarter but still very versatile. They work for daytime and in the evening too. You can wear them with jeans or a suit and I like the cool nod to menswear element.”
Pre-travel…
“The only packing routine that I’ve had probably since I was a teenager is that usually I end up sitting on my suitcase at the end just to squeeze it all in.”
Post-travel…
“I’m a very fast packer but a very slow unpacker. The suitcase just sits there, it lingers when I return. But when I get home I do love to have a long bath with epsom salts – just to [wind down] from that travel energy.
“Also if I’m jet-lagged, getting the sun on your face in the morning [is so helpful for] getting your circadian rhythm back.”
The travel outfit
“To travel out to Paris I wore my black jeans, my loafers and my herringbone coat.
“I pretty much always wear muted colours to travel in. Black is always safe, and I always feel like you can easily look smart if you need to when you arrive somewhere. It also doesn’t show the creases as much! For me, black is like my neutral. It helps me feel relaxed.”
