Aishwarya Rai returns to Paris Fashion Week ramp, reunites with Simone Ashley

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has returned to the Paris Fashion Week runway, walking as a L'Oréal Paris global ambassador at the ninth edition of Le Défilé. She chose a black velvet gown for the show, and clips from the night have spread quickly across social media. The theme this year was reportedly 'Walk Your Worth', built around confidence, diversity and women standing together.

The lineup reportedly included Kendall Jenner, Celine Dion, Eva Longoria, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda and Bridgerton actor Simone Ashley. Aishwarya is said to have topped her gown with a crown, and her bold new red hair colour drew plenty of attention. Stylist Mohit Rai, who reportedly put the look together, praised her as a queen in a post from the event.

Her reunion with Simone Ashley has become one of the most talked about moments. In a video that surfaced online, Aishwarya is seen planting kisses on Simone in greeting, then settling into the seat beside her. Both women wore black, and they held hands while talking before stopping for a photo. Fans called the pair 'sisterly' and remembered that the two had taken a playful selfie at the same event last year, which Simone later shared on Instagram.

Other viral clips reportedly capture Aishwarya and Celine Dion holding hands, hugging, exchanging a kiss and then dancing together on stage on the spur of the moment. Eva Longoria also got a hug from her backstage before the walk, another video suggests. Reports also say Aishwarya closed the show hand in hand with Kendall Jenner.

Fans online called her the one and only queen and pointed to her Miss World win in 1994, saying her crown has lost none of its shine decades later. Her association with L'Oréal Paris goes back many years, and she has fronted the brand at global events such as the Cannes Film Festival. Last year she reportedly walked the same show in a custom Manish Malhotra outfit.

On the film front, she was last seen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: II, released in 2023. The historical epic reportedly collected ₹344 crore worldwide, and Abhishek Bachchan called it her career best performance. Her next film has not been announced yet, according to reports, though she has stayed in the spotlight through fashion appearances.