Only one event causes everyone who is anyone in fashion to flock to the streets of Paris like a parade of finely plumed and trendy peacocks, and that event is Paris Fashion Week. From September 24 to October 2, the runways were filled with dozens of brilliant, beautiful collections from some of the world’s most prominent designers. If, like most of us, you were unable to attend the shows this year, here are the top five shows that everyone in Paris was talking about.
1. Louis Vuitton
Since this was Marc Jacob’s 16th and final year designing at Louis Vuitton, it was fitting that his show paid homage to some of Jacob’s most memorable runway moments. The set featured pieces from past shows – the carousel, water fountain, elevator and escalators – re-envisioned entirely in black to match the collection. Feather headpieces, all black, broken up only by a few blue jeans and a naked Edie Campbell with the brand painted across her body, put the collection just into the realm of over the top. But, for a farewell show, that was exactly what was required
2. Alexander McQueen
Sarah Burton’s collection was nothing short of spectacular. African and tribal influences were taken to futuristic levels with metal, leather and cut-outs. The collection was hailed as original and creative, and was said to set the bar for the entire Spring/Summer season. At first glance, the pieces may have appeared chaotic in construction, but were, in fact, a controlled blend of different influences. Texture was predominately featured; from leather and beading, to ostrich feathers and crochet, nothing was off limits. The collection’s brilliance lied in its fearlessness. The sheer creativity of Burton was unmatched in Paris this year.
3. Balenciaga
Where Alexander McQueen was controlled chaos, Balenciaga was clean precision. For Alexander Wang’s second collection for the house, he drew inspiration from Cristobal Balenciaga’s classic shapes but employed trendy fabrics like leather. Many said Wang played it safe by using the tried and true techniques of the house, but his flawless construction and simple colour palette created a collection that felt fresh and current.
4. Comme des Garçons
Spectacle appeared again in Comme des Garçons’ dramatic and outlandish collection. Each piece was like a moment. Each one was sent down the runway with its own song and represented a period of time in the label’s past. These pieces were not practical. They had ruffles, hoop skirts, warped proportions and stiff shapes. Over the top, in this case, created a rebellion – a movement of slow and idiosyncratic fashion among the fast and furious design world.
5. Givenchy
Before the Givenchy collection even went down the runway, the set established the tone. A smoking pile up of cars sat in the middle of the runway to a soundtrack of heavy percussion. Everyone in attendance knew the collection would be intense, and the collection delivered. African and Eastern influences were predominant, brought to life with draped jersey, leather and earthy tones with splashes of colour. Not to be forgotten were the crystal masks a number of the models sported. The variety of influences, materials and shapes were made coherent in a way that only Riccardo Tisci could. No chaos, this was all control.
Photo Source: vogue.co.uk