Here we have the first chat with Emmanuelle Alt – the new Editor in Chief of Paris Vogue and the replacement for Carine Roitfeld, whose sudden departure got everyone chattering away over the Christmas break. Anyway – under her ridiculously cool, insouciantly French exterior, it turns out that Emmanuelle is as sweet as pain au chocolat.

She’s been on full editor duty all week at the couture shows in Paris and Hilary Alexander managed to grab an interview with her backstage at the Chanel couture show. She smilingly revealed the fact that she was surprised to be offered the job of editor (she was Fashion Director before), because she never makes career plans;

‘I never thought about my future in any case, I’m not somebody who thinks about tomorrow, I really live for today. I never thought about it, but it was like – why not? I’ve been at the magazine for 10 years so I’m not coming to something completely new, I’m staying around but in a new position.’

With Elly Jackson of La Roux on the FROW

She was forthcoming on the subject of her personal style, too;

‘People describe my look as rock and roll – this is what I really wear. This isn’t what the magazine will look like though, or it will not be only rock and roll. Today I’m wearing a Balmain jacket, vintage fur coat, just a simple Ralph Lauren sweater and the jeans are TOPSHOP. I always buy from TOPSHOP in London. It is the first thing I do when I go to London, I put my things in the hotel and I RUN to TOPSHOP! Because they do the best jeans!’

Really? We can’t decide if that is brilliant or disappointing. On the one hand – unprententious is good. BUT on the other, WE go to TOPSHOP nearly every week and still look nowhere near as good as Emmanuelle. Rats.

She explained a teeny bit about her career so far, and her great enthusiasm for her job;

‘The first fashion show I ever went to was a Jean Paul Gaultier show – when it was really crazy outside. I was about 19. And I LOVED IT! Like I really loved it – I thought ‘Oh wow,’ this is really funny. I love photography, I have always loved photography and I love fashion as well so I the two parts of it. I think its really fun – it is fun to style, and I also I love working on picture inspiration and things like that. AND also I love the life of every day at the magazine.’

Brilliant. Just brilliant. And when can we expect to see Madame Alt next?

She revealed that she will be attending London Fashion Week next month – so prepare to glue yourself to Grazia Daily for our in-depth coverage of ALT WATCH during the February shows!