Nicole Kidman sparked an online etiquette debate after appearing barefoot at Chanel's Sydney after-party, where she joined filmmaker Baz Luhrmann onstage to introduce Kylie Minogue.
The 59-year-old actor attended the French fashion house's Cruise 2026/27 presentation on 5 November 2026 in a tailored black ensemble and heels. Later footage showed her crossing the stage without shoes, drawing questions from social media users about her choice of footwear.
Barefoot Appearance Draws Mixed Reactions
One social media user asked, 'Who walks barefoot in the 21st century?' An X user responded, 'Australians do.' Other responses questioned whether bare feet were appropriate at a formal Chanel event where they introduce an artist there.
Kidman appeared alongside Luhrmann, her collaborator on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!, before Minogue's performance. Kidman referenced the singer's hit 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' during her speech, while Luhrmann added, 'And our hearts are going padam padam.'
Online reactions ranged from criticism of the shoeless appearance to comments defending Kidman's decision to remove her heels. Some users speculated that Kidman removed her heels to appear closer in height to Luhrmann. Kidman has not publicly confirmed that explanation, and the footage does not establish that as her reason.
Chanel Stages its First Australian Runway Presentation
Chanel held two Sydney presentations of its Cruise 2026/27 collection at The Cutaway in Barangaroo on 5 November 2026. Matthieu Blazy first presented the collection in Biarritz, France, on 28 April 2026. The Sydney event marked Chanel's first official runway show in Australia.
Guests included Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Joel Edgerton, and former Olympic champion Cathy Freeman. Kidman attended the runway show with her daughter Faith Margaret, 15. The mother and daughter wore coordinated black-and-white looks.
The after-party was held at Pier 2/3 in Walsh Bay, where Kidman and Luhrmann introduced Minogue. Her medley included 'Love at First Sight,' 'Can't Get You Out of My Head,' 'On a Night Like This,' and her recent 2023 British top-ten hit 'Padam Padam.'
Minogue's iconic 2003 music video for 'Come Into My World' inspired the recent CHANEL 25 campaign with Margot Robbie, where Minogue herself makes a cameo in the commercial. Michel Gondry, who directed the original music video, also directed the CHANEL 25 commercial.
Kidman has been a Chanel House Ambassador since 2025. Previously, she was announced as the face of Chanel No. 5 in 2003, and she ended up starring the Baz Luhrmann-directed advertising film No. 5 the Film in 2004. The commercial, co-starring Rodrigo Santoro, cost a reported $33 million dollars (approximately £44 million adjusted to inflation) at the time, and Kidman was paid $3 million (approximately £4 million adjusted to inflation) for her participation.
Kidman has Removed Her Heels at Public Events Before
The Sydney appearance was not Kidman's first barefoot moment at a high-profile event. She appeared without shoes at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival premiere of Dogville. Kidman said director Lars von Trier had asked her to remove her shoes if he attended the festival.
'I am a woman of my word, so I took my shoes off,' Kidman said of the Cannes appearance.
At the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards in November 2024, Kidman also removed her heels at the lectern. She explained that the lectern was too low for her to reach the microphone comfortably while wearing the shoes.
