So it ends, once again, in Paris. We have been through Haute Couture Week in January, followed immediately by Mens Fashion Week in Milan and Paris, before moving into fashion month in New York, London and Milan, which all culminates in the final 'week' in Paris. Other than a handful of season-after-season favourites across the different cities, the majority of the big names in the fashion calendar are showing in Paris. For the first time on this blog, I'll break down every single show from women's Fall/Winter 24 Paris Fashion Week, explaining what inspired each collection and giving you all the details you need to know, in 3 parts.
For today, we'll talk through the first 10 designers that showed this season in Paris, including Saint Laurent, The Row and Givenchy. Keep an eye out for Part 2 and Part 3 in the next few days, but for now, let's get started with Dior:
Christian Dior
Fashion Week opened in Paris with Maria Grazia Chiuri's presentation for Dior, for which she used the theme of Miss Dior as her inspiration. The words 'Miss Dior' were quite literally graffiti'd onto several of the garments in the collection - supposedly a reference to the logo created for the opening of the Miss Dior boutique in 1967, the time of the house's first ready-to-wear collection - but to me were quite frankly distracting and visually painful. In '67, the Dior woman was starting to want something beyond the house's Haute Couture offering that felt more modern and more wearable, which Maria seemed to reference in this collection - as she often does, with her goal at Dior being to liberate women - by focusing on comfort, wearability and day-to-day use, with relaxed pantsuits, oversized knits and flowy chemises.
This collection felt relevant from the younger Dior women to the most mature, from the office or internship to the high society or night-life, from pre-fall to the depths of winter, yet I felt as if it was something we've seen before from Chiuri. The collection stuck to one shade of beige - which also featured very heavily in the most recent Couture collection - a matte black or grey and a sprinkle of pure white pieces in the mix, all without much depth or variations on the theme, leading to an overwhelming sense of repetition and (I hate to say it) lack of inspiration.
Although there were a handful of relatively exciting moments for me (Looks 24, 25, 54, 55, 60, 64, 67 and 68), the rest of the collection was thrown off, by a duo of disastrous denim looks and naturally, my personal pet peeve, those awful 'Miss Dior' graffiti pieces.
Saint Laurent
Anthony Vaccarello wanted this collection to be a commentary on the use of sheer materials in fashion, particularly in celebrity/red carpet dressing, and take it on in his own way. In the last few years, there has been a huge trend of transparency, from money transparency to lifestyle transparency to (you guessed it) physical transparency - in a sense, celebrities are showing more and more of themselves to the world, in an effort to create shock factor or one-up someone else as we are in an era of boredom, where it feels that everything that can be done, has been done - so it has become normal to see red carpet looks where the body is almost entirely exposed, simply to have the media headlines and catch people's attention. Anthony wanted to take this sheer epidemic and design in a way that felt intentional and impactful, creating garments that were actually inspiring and technically beautiful rather than having a moment of shock for the sake of shock.
Almost all of the pieces that walked the runway were entirely sheer, made out of - if you can believe it - tights material (or pantyhose for you Americans) which as you definitely know, is an incredibly frustrating material to work with, laddering and tearing at even the slightest movement. It is a masterclass in design and craftsmanship from the Saint Laurent atelier, who must have worked rigorously and extremely delicately to produce this collection, one that is unlikely to ever even hit the stores for the Saint Laurent client to purchase. This is another intriguing point about this seasons offering from Vaccarello, who has clearly focused on innovation, inspiration and pursuing his creative fantasy, rather than selling another range of products to a mass market the are already overwhelmed - in a time when there are millions of choices for everyone to buy - which may not even be possible with such a delicate array of garments.
Anthony was really focused on creating something he felt passionate about, in hopes that consumers of fashion would either love it or hate it, rather than feel nothing at all, as he wants his work to have an impact. Personally, this collection was beautiful, I loved the colour blocking - sticking to a handful of simple but gorgeous colours (olive green, taupe, camel and burgundy) - and adored the dresses, which were ruched to perfection, although I do wonder if all the garments survived being put on, worn and taken off. The asymmetrical draping and stretching of the tights fabric created so much depth to the pieces on top of already intriguing silhouettes. The handheld fur coats were a nice touch.
Courreges
This collection from Nicolas Di Felice was a perfect, natural evolution from his previous work at Courreges. It maintained his refined, simple, well-structured and created pieces, with their clear, prominent character, yet they felt new and had something to say, which you don't always get with a Nicolas Di Felice collection. This runway felt intimate, as Nicolas wanting to dip into sexual, sensual fashion which really came across, granted it was very in your face, with pockets designed into the crotch of the looks for the female models to put their hands in, as men do. This was one of the several unusual quirks of this show, which made you feel confused - but in a good way - for example, all the looks (but one) were almost entirely covered up, yet something about the looks, models and the styling felt extremely exposed, erotic and even perverse?
Some of the most prominent features of these looks included hooded garments, from the typical long-sleeve - which of course was not typical in itself - to hooded vests which seemed sensual and bodycon rather than the usual baggy, full coverage hooded garments. Perhaps the most intriguing garments were those with unusually placed buttons, on the side of the body for example, which not only held the piece together, but allowed for customisation - if you unbutton a sleeve perhaps, you could have a unique asymmetrical garments and wrap the loose sleeve around you like a scarf. I found this element really exciting as now more than ever, customers are looking for ways to wear designers they love but style things their own way and create something weird or unusual.
The Row
So... We actually can't discuss this collection beyond it's existence yet, because we (anyone that didn't attend their in-person show) haven't seen it. The Row - by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen - debuted their latest collection with a slight twist: the invitation for attendees included a note requesting that they refrain from taking photographs or video content of any kind at the show. At the venue, guests were given notebooks so that they could jot down thoughts, ideas, sketches or whatever they felt they wanted to remember, but the 'no phone policy' was adhered to rather strictly, meaning even Vogue Runway has yet to share coverage of the collection. So although we can't discuss this new line yet (which was undoubtedly chic) we can discuss the media policy, which has caused quite the conversation online, with fashion critics, guests of the show and everyone interested in fashion falling on rather extreme ends of the argument - should we or shouldn't we be allowed to use our devices at fashion shows?
A tweet from Vanessa Friedman suggested that the policy was ridiculous, saying that she - as an adult - is capable of making her own decisions and should be able to use her phone as she pleases. To me, this is a sure-fire way to ensure you don't receive an invitation next season!... I think it's so clear that if a designer has requested that you follow a guideline - a very simple one at that - that it is respectful to them and their work to follow that guideline, especially as you are only attending said event as their guest. Not only is it polite to follow such a rule, it is clearly done for a reason, likely to ensure that the attention is entirely on the clothes. So much work goes into building a show, so for attendees to sit there a watch it through their phone - which is an all too common occurrence these days - is such a disappointment, for me it's downright disrespectful.
Let me ask you, do you go to the ballet or opera and whip out your phone? No, you wait until the performance is over, and potentially snap a shot of the bows. It is the same concept when attending a fashion show, so much has gone into the design, creation, realisation, styling, casting, setting and more - similar to that of a live performance - so perhaps at future shows, sit and appreciate the art and work, then take your photos or video content during the final walk with all the models. I think this topic speaks to a larger issue in the world right now (which is extremely clear with almost every single audience member at a concert watching it through their devices) which is that we are constantly trying to capture things through our phone, for clout on social media or to watch later, to the point where people are rarely appreciating the moment we are in.
Of course, there are exceptions to this, several guests (fashion writers, critics, high-profile fashion 'influencers'/journalists) at every show are invited to share their thoughts on the collection via articles or social media, but everyone else filming every single moment just to have it in their camera role, or in the hopes that they might just catch a viral moment is driving me crazy.
The other issue that many people had with The Row's policy, is that they felt it was to exclude the majority of the fashion world from their work - 'The Ultimate Quiet Luxury Move' - making it even more inaccessible. Many are suggesting that it is unfair and antiquated to create such exclusivity around a brand (but that's what the Olsen twins have always done). My thoughts? Well, I don't think that The Row is in desperate need of mass appeal and huge brand promotion through influencers and media that don't filter content, that don't review in depth or legitimately, and that don't even care about fashion, as they are doing fine without promoting/selling their products to an audience that can't even afford them. It's not exclusivity for exclusivity's sake, it's Mary-Kate and Ashley doing exactly what they set out to do with this brand. I really don't feel that you nor I deserve or need access to every single thing in this world.
All in all, I love that The Row brought the attention back to their clothing, their passion, their creations, by removing modern day distractions - the addition of notebooks to remember and share how guests felt and what they liked was a lovely touch - and am sure that when or if we ever see the collection itself, it will be fabulous.
Dries Van Noten
This collection from Dries Van Noten was less about the actual garments themselves - thought they were beautiful and immaculately constructed - and more about the character of the person who would wear them. Titled 'The Woman Who Dares To Cut Her Own Fringe', this collection had a very clear, intentional vision for its future customer which is rather obvious by the name. If you have ever cut your own fringe, you will be all too familiar with the woman who cuts her own fringe; she is bold, she is audacious, she has a solid character and strength unlike most others, plus a little crazy streak or wacky side that allows her to make the split second decision to blindly cut her hair off. I think this woman is great as inspiration for a collection, it creates such a recognisable character throughout each look that can be displayed through such playful, bold and bizarre styling choices of the garments as well as the much more obvious/explicit choppy fringe found on the models.
The clothes themselves were slouchy/oversized throughout, and though very basic at first glance, each of the garments took on a different quirk or shape to it's usual counterpart. I truly loved the pieces themselves, but was even more exited by the styling of this show, which played into the title of the show, feeling bold, quirky and audacious. We saw the use of multiple bold colours, that are never usually seen in one look, worn together and the models rocked it; one look included cotton candy pink, two shades of grey and a forest green while another used midnight blue, candy pink and a sheer peachy tone over a white gingham. The contrasting colours were a surprising at first but by the end of the collection, I hadn't seen one combination that didn't work! Van Noten has successfully pulled off another collection of individual pieces that are good enough to stand alone and look great which is of great importance, but also, this collection does so much to bring to life that 'Van Noten woman' in the unique way she styles and wears her pieces, choosing for herself what is right or wrong, what is daywear or evening-wear and blending it all together.
Acne Studios
Jonny Johansson presented a quintessential Acne Studios collection this season, focusing back in on the denim and leather work that Acne is built around, a real back to the roots moment. Although they now tackle a variety of tailoring, knitwear and accessories, it's the denim and leather that remain the central focus of the brand identity and offering. Jonny took on these house classics in new ways however, bringing new techniques to their usual fabrics, starting with their denim; this was sprayed or soaked to create different effects, looking either rusty, oily or metallic. The leather pieces were either relaxed and fluid, being ruched beautifully as easily as chiffon, or completely rigid, being moulded specifically to the models' bodies and looking like gorgeous structures.
Personally, I really wasn't a fan of the soft leather bodysuits or biker unitards/shorts, the leather wrinkles, creases and folds too easily as it's not perfectly fitted, which to me feels very cheap and poorly made, with a silhouette that doesn't feel innovative or complementing. The worst of it all was the zippers - god help me, there are bold, pop-of-colour zippers on designer clothing again (is this an Off-White knock-off outlet store in 2016?) - which are just atrocious. Enough said.
In this show, my favourite pieces were the dramatic, oversized coats in trench styles and in faux furs, on top of which, there were several looks that I would have genuinely worn in this collection - particularly the knitwear, outerwear and denim looks - but beyond that, it is one that I won't remember by the time the next show comes around.
Balmain
Olivier Rousteing dedicated this season's collection for Balmain to his childhood home of Bordeaux, something that he has never done in his 13 years at the house, yet something that every designer should get a chance to do in their career. The inspiration came out during the presentation in many forms, some more literal representations like grapes and snail shells in all sorts of forms. The grape motif was seen as bag charms, earrings, patterns on tops, necklaces and actual clutch bags, whilst the snail shells were seen as lapels, accessories and even entire garments. Of course, Bordeaux is known more than anything for its wine, hence the grapes featured in this collection, the snail shells were likely used as a nod to escargots, a French dish of literal snails that is very common in Bordeaux too. The references to Olivier's childhood didn't stop there: he created trench coats for this collection, a nod to his mother, who would throw a trench over any outfit - how french! - as they would head out on a picnic. These lovely stories and moments really carried this collection, making it feel beautifully steeped in nostalgia.
Another things that Rousteing wanted to achieve with this show, was to celebrate the true beauty in diversity, which was very clear in the casting. Not only were there models of all races, there was an obvious intent to cast a much wider age range of models into their 50's and beyond, as yet another nod his mother.
As for the collection, I adored the details of this collection, from the accessories to the lapels of jackets or structure of skirts, to the shoes - I really really need to get my hands of that fruit basket bag (Look 5 and 30) and that grape clutch (Look 6 and 29) - beyond that, the garments themselves left me a little underwhelmed, though some were amazing.
Rick Owens
Rick Owens hosted this show at his own place in Paris - the one at Place de Palais Bourbon that he has owned for 20 years - so that this presentation could feel more intimate. The location itself was smaller than his usual shows (held at Palais de Tokyo) but they didn't feel any less extravagant or impactful, with the most gorgeous, grand setting and dramatic, conversation-starting garments. One significant thing to mention about Rick, is that he is one of the very few totally independent designers left in Paris, which is clear from his strong fingerprint on every piece, and in the way he puts out exactly what he wants through full control of his own vision.
For this collection - as is the case with everything he does - Owens wanted to blur the lines of aesthetics and possibilities in mainstream fashion, hoping that people at home, as well as other designers, will see the potential to do something that they are told not to do, that won't sell or people think is ugly, as long as it is authentic to yourself and your creative expression. He used designs from his early days as a designer on Hollywood Boulevard, but not as an empty nod to his past or for a sense of cheap nostalgia, instead it was used as a symbol of hope, that if he can make his way in the world from that moment to this moment, there is possibility for everyone.
I love Rick's message and clear creative direction throughout the years, but unfortunately it just doesn't translate into the clothes for me. He wanted to find a stylish balance between weird, gothic silhouettes and radiant, powerful goddess energy, seen through the use of black tattooed eye - through makeup I'm sure - which looked like aliens were walking through Paris, balanced out with hair styling that presented as regal headpieces. As always, Rick created something that would have looked more natural on another planet (which is fabulously weird and wacky, in a time where everything is really starting to look the same), with dramatic shoulders that looked like wings had sprouted from the models' backs, those trusty inflatable boots which don't seem to be going anywhere, as well as a few new-ish additions, although to me this collection felt like something we have seen from Rick before - many, many times - which is a lot harder to disguise when your work is so recognisable. Not only this, but the looks in show itself felt incredibly repetitive, I was unsure at several point if perhaps Rick had transported us through space and time to watch a single look on repeat on another planet forever. I find it harder and harder to buy in to the illusion and the other-worldly fantasy when it feels and looks the same every season. Regardless of this, and the fact I genuinely don't like that clothes at all, I will always respect Rick's integrity and effort.
Off-White
Ib (Ibrahim) Kamara is slowly but surely finding his place within the world that Virgil Abloh created for Off-White, trying to create something crazy and new, pushing the boat whilst still paying respect to Virgil's original vision; sadly it is just not a place that I like, but hey, not everything is about me. Off-White is of course a streetwear brand which, other than his incredible impact of the youth of today, the landscape of fashion in the 21st century and influence on everyone around him, is the most impactful, tangible piece of his legacy. As such an icon, a force of change in the industry and an inspiration to many, it is such a disappointment - to me - to see such an outright UGLY collection even attached to his name and legacy in any way.
This collection - as is always the case with Off-White - was very much not about minimalism, it was loud, tacky and unapologetically messy. It was refreshing and very on-brand to use this show to present both womenswear and menswear (separated into two halves) in the usual form of postmodern streetwear, but the clothes themselves - which is what it all comes back to - were just awful. A ton of sporty references found themselves in the forms of varsity jackets, jerseys and basketball shorts (as well as a literal Off-White basketball in a gold chain tote bag as an accessory?). The use of purples and pinks in the menswear section would usually have hit the spot for me, but it all felt incredibly cheap, thrown together at the last minute, as if a different designer was behind each piece and they hadn't collaborated on an overall vision or understanding. One of the only features of the collection that held any interest or visual satisfaction for me were the looks with fringed beading towards the ends of the womenswear - likely a reference to Kamara's African identity - which was definitely NOT the case when it came to the green 'Dr Seuss-esque' fur
found throughout this show.
There was talk of a new 'it-shoe' emerging from this collection, but I really don't want to go into more depth about any of this because - in case you couldn't tell - I hated it, but then again I have never really liked anything Off-White have put out.
Givenchy
Givenchy is such an iconic house, that is responsible for unforgettable fashion moments and trends over almost the last century, you have seen Hubert De Givenchy's work on Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina (1954), Funny Face (1957) and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and since then, the house has been directed by incredible forces like John Galliano - now at Maison Margiela - Alexander McQueen, and Riccardo Tisci. Unfortunately, over time, the house has lost its momentum thanks to several creative directors who have failed to find their feet, until now where Givenchy doesn't have a creative director at all...
One of the biggest conversations around Paris and the whole fashion world these last few weeks has been the FW24 Givenchy show. Since the house have had no creative director appointed after Matthew Williams left on January 1st, everyone in the industry was nervous and excited to see what would happen in the lead-up this show. After all the speculation, it turns out that this entire collection was designed by the in-house studio team.
In recent years, the house has been through so many directors in a short time that many of us have no idea what Givenchy is or wants to be at this point, but somehow, the in-house team still have a strong sense of self that has a chance of pulling the brand back on course, as well as clearly having strong design and creative skills. Perhaps, putting the power and creative freedom back into the hands of the people who actually design the majority of the garments is a move that has flooded Givenchy with new inspiration and perspective, that fits the brands' codes.
As for the clothes, we saw a combination of gorgeous, elaborate evening-wear, lots of modern yet simple tailoring, fluffy knits and timeless outerwear. This collection, although small compared to typical Givenchy offerings, felt relevant and fresh - with scooped necklines, cropped and draped leather looks, full looks in cherry red or ballerina ribbon heels - yet respected the house codes of Givenchy, maintaining a clean, classic and polished overall character. The design team clearly found an amazing balance between modern and classic (both feeling timeless) as well as revealing/risque dresses/miniskirts and full coverage suits/knitwear styles.
So let's wrap up: a solid favourite of mine from these first 10 collections of Paris Fashion Week has got to be the Saint Laurent show. Even as we most likely we will never get to shop the pieces, there was something being done that felt new and intriguing, which at this point is enough to catch my attention. I don't need to tell you which designer showcased my least favourite *cough cough, Off-White*.
Overall it feels like a good start to the week, let's just hope that the upcoming collections do the same. Head over to Part 2 now to read up on the next 10 designers... And happy fashion week!
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