Miley Cyrus, Parker Posey & More Support Women in Film at Chanel & Tribeca’s Through Her Lens Luncheon

On Friday, June 6, amid a sea of tweed jackets and quilted bags, Miley Cyrus stood out in an all-leather look in the courtyard of New York’s Greenwich Hotel where guests had gathered for Chanel and Tribeca’s annual Through Her Lens luncheon. Cyrus’s vest and pleated skirt ensemble with sheer tights was the latest in what’s been a veritable fashion parade for the singer as she celebrates her album Something Beautiful and its accompanying “pop opera” short film premiering at Tribeca later that evening. “I love the way that I've been able to embrace every designer and invite them into my universe,” she told W of her many outfits as of late.

She was joined by a host of other stars, including Riley Keough, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, and Mariska Hargitay. Of course, Chanel’s recent collections were on heavy display among the guests, with many wearing designs from the brand’s recent cruise show, held in Lake Como, Italy. But the fashion was an afterthought when compared to the message of the afternoon. For ten years now, the Through Her Lens program, supported by the French luxury house and the film festival, has championed female and non-binary creatives within the world of filmmaking. It’s an initiative that Keough pointed out was as crucial as ever. “We need more female filmmakers,” she told W on the red carpet.

After posing for photographers against the courtyard’s leafy backdrop, guests were welcomed inside Locanda Verde, where white and green florals transformed the downtown restaurant into a dreamy jungle. There, they enjoyed cocktails and a buffet of cheeses, focaccia, cured meats, and candied nuts. Actor Justine Lupe opted for a bowl of brightly colored beets, a risky move considering her white cotton blouse. That’s possibly why Posey eschewed eating and opted instead to take her feather-adorned cape for a spin—she could be seen twirling in the restaurant’s back garden when no one was watching.

Posey reunited with her White Lotus co-star Coon, who like Cyrus, wore some Chanel leather, hers in the form of a cropped jacket. Broadway was also well-represented, with actors like Gracie Lawrence, Ella Beatty, and Fina Strazza taking a break from their busy show schedule to spend the afternoon supporting women in film.

Once everyone was gathered in the main dining room, attention moved to a handful of Through Her Lens committee members, who each spoke on the importance of the program, especially in the current political climate.

“I've been finding myself reading a lot, and the person whose words tend to make me comforted in these times is Toni Morrison,” said Tribeca Film Festival founder Jane Rosenthal. “She writes about guidance amidst chaos. She says, ‘This is precisely the time when artists go to work. Not when everything is fine, but in times of dread. There is no time to despair, no place for self-pity. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.’”

Director Patty Jenkins added, “I really find myself again and again coming back to the profound importance of story...We need to embrace coming together and not asking for permission or partnership under the old system, which is crumbling as we speak, by the way.”

Beanie Feldstein, Zosia Mamet, and Annie Murphy listened intently, as Olivia Munn snuck a few bites from the afternoon’s spread. Jurnee Smollett cooled off with a fan while Cyrus stayed close beside her mom, Tish, the two wrapped in each other’s arms throughout the 15-minute-long talk. Later, the 32-year-old star is expected to switch outfits yet again for the Something Beautiful premiere—something she’s become quite efficient at doing. “We do a lot of changes,” she said on the red carpet. “We have trunks on trunks in the car, because I'm not someone that likes to stay in one thing for too long. Might as well.”