- Karl Lagerfeld's SS26 campaign, titled "From Paris with Love," stars Paris Hilton for the second consecutive season, spanning the Karl Lagerfeld, Karl Lagerfeld Jeans, and Karl Lagerfeld Paris collections.
- Paris Hilton DJ'd from atop a vintage double-decker bus parked at Herald Square in Midtown Manhattan, turning the busy landmark into a fashion and music spectacle to celebrate the campaign launch.
- Choupette, the late Karl Lagerfeld's iconic cat, made a special appearance through a lifelike costume presentation, marking the feline's first New York moment since the Met Gala 2023.
- The global campaign was shot by long-time brand collaborator Chris Colls at the Maison's headquarters at 21 Rue Saint-Guillaume in Paris, with Sean O'Pry fronting the men's collection alongside Hilton.
Paris Hilton took over Herald Square on Monday for the late Karl Lagerfeld’s Spring/Summer 2026 campaign celebration, turning the busy Midtown landmark into a fashion and music spectacle.
The campaign, titled From Paris with Love, stars Hilton for the second consecutive season, building on the partnership that first launched with the brand’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection.
Shot by long-time brand collaborator Chris Colls at the Maison’s headquarters at 21 Rue Saint-Guillaume in Paris, the global campaign spans the Karl Lagerfeld, Karl Lagerfeld Jeans, and Karl Lagerfeld Paris collections.
At the New York event, Hilton wore a black patch bomber jacket with “Paris” written across the back, styled with a belted mini skirt, heeled boots, a crossbody bag from the Karl Lagerfeld Paris Spring/Summer collection, and custom Lagerfeld eyewear.
Choupette, the late designer’s famously adored cat, also made a special appearance through a lifelike costume presentation, the feline’s first New York moment since the Met Gala 2023.
This marks Hilton’s second run with Karl Lagerfeld, a brand whose ambassador family also includes Brand Ambassador Sebastien Jondeau and Sustainability Ambassador Amber Valletta.
Much like Victoria Beckham’s recent multi-season collaboration with GAP, the partnership signals a wider trend of iconic personalities anchoring heritage fashion houses across multiple campaign cycles.
Beyond Karl Lagerfeld, Hilton was named Paul Mitchell’s Global Ambassador in August 2025, and kicked off 2026 with a multi-year collaboration with McCormick through her media company, 11:11 Media. International Delight also partnered with Hilton in March 2026 for a new line of creamers and cold foam.
On the music front, Hilton has been in the studio recording her third album ahead of an upcoming tour, while also developing the TV adaptation of her 2023 memoir Paris: The Memoir, acquired by A24 and produced by 11:11 Media.
Sabrina Carpenter’s recent brand activation at a major festival mirrors the kind of immersive brand-meets-entertainment event Hilton delivered in Herald Square.
Takeaways
Paris Hilton returning for a second consecutive Karl Lagerfeld campaign is more than a repeat booking, it’s a signal that the brand has found a long-term face who moves the needle across fashion, pop culture, and digital storytelling simultaneously.
The Herald Square takeover with a DJ set, a double-decker bus, and Choupette in costume wasn’t just a campaign launch, it was a live content moment engineered for virality. Karl Lagerfeld is clearly betting on experiential fashion marketing over traditional runway spectacle.
For Hilton, this deepens her identity as a credible fashion face, not just a celebrity endorser, at a time when she’s simultaneously building equity in beauty (Parívie skincare, Paul Mitchell), food (McCormick, International Delight), and music (upcoming third album and tour). She’s operating on multiple brand fronts at once, and Karl Lagerfeld gives her the luxury fashion credibility that ties it all together.
Does Paris Hilton’s multi-season run with Karl Lagerfeld signal the brand is ready to build her into a permanent brand ambassador rather than a rotating campaign face?
Could the Herald Square DJ set format (blending live music, fashion, and influencer culture) become the new template for luxury brand activations in 2026?
