The New Look – Episode 9 “Will You Return” Recap & Review

Will You Return

Episode 9 of The New Look takes us back to when Elsa and Coco first became roommates, with Coco offering Elsa the opportunity to work together and promising to take her to Paris. In the present, Coco posts Elsa’s bail after she is arrested for assaulting a chemist. However, when they reach the hotel, Coco asks Elsa to leave, pointing at a bag she has already packed for her. Elsa, however, believes that Spatz is manipulating Coco once again.

Meanwhile, Christian is focused on ensuring that his first show is nothing short of spectacular. If you weren’t aware, Christian’s father, Maurice Dior, has died, and the latter is due to attend the funeral service. Berard, his associate, assures him that he will take care of everything in his absence. Before leaving, Christian meets with Cardin and offers him the position of head tailor at his fashion house.

Cardin, a passionate designer interviewed by Christian earlier, is thrilled by the opportunity. Cardin is the same passionate designer that Christian interviewed a couple of weeks ago. However, George reminds Christian that he is behind schedule and needs to hire more designers quickly. Christian reassures George that he will meet the deadline without resorting to poaching designers from other couture houses.

As the episode unfolds, Christian attends his father’s funeral alongside his brothers, where he delivers a heartfelt and intimate speech. He reflects on his father’s teachings, saying that his father valued hard work over material wealth, which reverberates deeply with those in attendance. At the funeral, Mr. Friedman approaches Katherine once again, seeking answers about his daughter, Tania, who was in the same Nazi work camp as Katherine Dior.

Despite Katherine’s initial reluctance, she eventually gathers the courage to reveal the painful truth to Mr. Friedman. She explains that Tania died in the camp after being falsely accused of stealing a loaf of bread. Katherine shares that when the Nazis discovered bread in Tania’s possession, they brutalized her, ultimately throwing her into an oven.  All this time, Katherine has carried the burden of Tania’s death, feeling guilty for sharing the bread with her and indirectly causing her death. 

Back in Switzerland, tensions escalate between Coco and Spatz as he presses her about the money she promised him. Coco, in turn, assures Spatz that she will secure the money and also warns him to stay away from Andre. The situation intensifies when Elsa asks Coco that she should reveal Spatz’s true identity to Andre. In response, Coco pushes Elsa away and asks her to leave. Later that day, Coco meets with her lawyers, who inform her that the Wertheimers have agreed to a deal with her.

Meanwhile, Elsa, feeling isolated and despondent, overdoses on drugs provided by Spatz and tragically passes away. When Coco returns to the hotel, she discovers Elsa’s lifeless body and desperately tries to get her help, but it is too late.

As the episode reaches its climax, Christian has a realization about the cutthroat nature of the fashion industry. He understands that to truly succeed and make a name for himself; he must be willing to make bold and sometimes ruthless decisions. Thus, he asks Madam Zehnacker to start hiring seamstresses from other prestigious fashion houses.

The Episode Review

Christian is known for being nice and kind, but that often led to people walking over him and taking advantage. However, it’s refreshing to see him realize that in the cutthroat world of fashion, being nice won’t get you to the top. You have to be willing to compete and surpass others, or someone else will do it instead.

Looking ahead, Coco Chanel is facing multiplying problems, and this time, she’ll have to tackle them alone as Elsa has passed away. There’s a possibility that Spatz, instead of giving Elsa drugs, replaced them with poison. This suspicion arises from a few episodes earlier when he was contemplating getting rid of both Elsa and Coco once he had what he needed.