With an immediate and palpable sense of the now, Paris fashion week captured the essence of today’s woman. It marked the end of the month-long transatlantic fashion tour as Paris fashion week ended on October 4. Promising to be a sweet finale, the 10-day affair left everyone in awe of its sultry style and effortless elegance that it truly was. Here are the best looks and shows of the week.
LOEWE
A bouquet of flowers that blossomed centre-stage and pixilated ensembles from 90s video games animated LOEWE spring/summer 2023. As he has done in the past few seasons, Jonothan Anderson continued to explore surreal fashion. Anthuriums were Anderson’s flower of choice this season. Fashion models brought exaggerated hips to the runway sporting ice-cold dresses, while others had their upper halves transformed into wax moulded Anthurium petals.
Digitally pixelated hoodies, t-shirts, and trousers were combined with sculpted garments that took on the look of autumn layers.
Photo credits: Daniele Oberrauch
Issey Miyake
A moment of remembrance preceded the first Issey Miyake show since the founder’s death in August. The show, titled “A Form That Breathes,” encompassed designs that enveloped around the models’ bodies, like scrupled paper, the garments remained elegant and subdued due to the simplistic silhouettes. Many of the garments consisted of pleating that resembled waves. Tones were mostly minimal, dominated by blacks, whites, and beiges. Nevertheless, the occasional fuchsia was a welcome change to the eyes. The evening culminated with a dance performance of a special piece dedicated to the late designer, dressed in softer colours.
Photo credits: Filippo Fior
Victoria Beckham
It was Victoria Beckham’s first time showing in Paris this season. During her ten-plus years as a fashion insider, her collection showcased all the knowledge and ambition she still holds. This season’s collection highlights the brand’s heritage with masculine tailored tailoring, sensual dresses, and body-conscious silhouettes. A variety of dualities are incorporated into it, such as softness and hardness, structure and fluidity.
Photo credits: Isidore Montag
Coperni
An angelic collection including dresses embroidered with thousands of glass pieces that shimmered breathtakingly. As one of this year’s most memorable fashion shows, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant delivered from beginning to end.
The collection was named Coperni Femme, in honour of their first collection back in 2015: it was an ode to a reimagined femininity. As far as technical fabrication is concerned, Meyer and Vaillant continued to lead the way, whether it was with holographic floral prints bonded onto neoprene dresses and jackets, or with slinky slip dresses featuring metallic ringlets that resemble a traditional phone cord when held together vertical panels of fabric.
But the pièce de résistance for this season was the final look.
A performance centred around runway star Bella Hadid closed the show. A team of specialists created a perfect minimalist Coperni slip dress directly onto Bella’s body while she appeared on stage in nothing but nude underwear.
The near-naked Hadid was sprayed with a white substance that looked like spray snow by a scientist Meyer had befriended named Dr Manel Torres and a colleague. She had a liquid sheen when it hit her skin, but after a few minutes, it became matte. Following that, Hadid walked the runway in a dress that was liquid in a bottle just five minutes before. Enchantment brought to life by Coperni.
Photo credits: Courtesy of Coperni
Hermès
In earthy browns, tans, and sunset hues, Hermès transported us through the desert. A dawn pink for the morning, to hold the coolness before it escaped. With sustainability in mind and adhering to the theme, it appeared that each of the pieces was cut from a hammock, a net or a mosquito screen. Some of the garments flowed, reminiscent of a flag fluttering. It is always impressive to see what Hermès’ ateliers can accomplish with leather. A black leather dress with a netting-like appearance hugged the model’s body adoring her to create a second skin.
Photo credit: Isidore Montag
Elie Saab
There was a freshness to the looks that came off the Elie Saab Spring-Summer 2023 runway and a relaxing sense of lightness that was different from what we have often seen from Elie Saab. While usually filled with heavier embellishments and sequins. This new collection of soft silhouettes feels like a breath of fresh air. Dresses with delicately detailed floral appliqués and flimsy chantilly lace illustrate the skill of this designer.
Photo credit: Filippo Fior
Comme des Garçons
Black, white, minimal but impactful by all means.
In every piece, the level of fabric was intensive and heightened. The sheer sizes of each garment, abnormal proportions, surreal shapes, lacquered lace and sweet floral jacquards were abundant. This catwalk was magnificently bizarre as each model walked on each more alluring than the one before. Models appeared to be wrapped in haute blankets in the collection’s shrouded garments. Beautifully weird is the only way to describe this work of art.
It was a season of bulky trims, bulbous gowns, dramatic elongated sleeves, and floral patterns that were ground-breaking.
Photo credit: Salvatore Dragone
Balenciaga
The Mud Show at Balenciaga Summer 2023 Digs for the Truth Behind Fashion’s Deception.
Kanye West made his modelling debut. The rapper and fashion designer, who now goes by Ye, opened the apocalyptic-themed presentation in a military-style jacket with a security patch and black leather trousers, Ye walked a mud-lined runway in Parc des Expositions. The jacket’s hood was pulled up over a lidded cap, and models followed behind walking the ‘mud’ runway.
A variety of dresses were featured, from sporty neck-hanging pieces to lame, glitter bombs pleated and dragging through the mud. Glitter dazzled on chunky clog versions of the Space Shoe, while slews of new track-like sneakers and the Knife Boot returned.
Photo credits: Courtesy of Balenciaga
Valentino
Could minimalism be making a return this spring? If this year’s Paris fashion week has shown us anything, it’s that the minimal approach always makes a big impact. In its latest show, Valentino moves towards purity, focusing on only the essentials, as the brand enters a more minimal era.
It is true that Valentino took a more minimalist approach to the construction of its garments- but definitely not to the use of prints. Almost everything was adorned with the house monogram, from coats with trains to dresses with feathers trimmed individually. The colour palette began softly, and each outfit included no more than two colours at a time.
Valentino’s tailoring skills were impressive; car coats from nylon with deep V pleats at the back, boxy double-breasted blazers with crimped waistbands and hems, boiler suits with crimped waistbands and hems, a black tech jacket — all came together in one motion before a stunning purple dress stood out.
Photo credit: Filippo Fior
Givenchy
Featuring elevated versions of everyday essentials- the Givenchy show was filled with understated pieces that beautifully frame a woman’s figure. Matthew M Williams delivered subtlety and grace. Accompanying classical music, down the runway were feminine stilettos with lace work, tiny bags were consistent, work pants and biker jackets and even cargo shorts all came alongside the elegance. The last set of looks were floor-length dresses, classic silhouettes with feathering detail accented by minimalistic cut-outs. As a result, the new collection consolidated much of what Matthew M Williams has been doing at Givenchy for many seasons, and as a result, he has finally established his own aesthetic.
Photo credits: Alessandro Lucioni
Stella McCartney
Known for her loud stance on animal rights within the fashion industry and for being an eco-activist. This season saw Stella McCartney’s most ‘nature-positive collection yet- with 87% of the fabrics worn on the runway at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, made with recyclable materials.
Using silhouettes and features like asymmetric bias cuts, giant visor-style sunglasses, racer tank straps, crystal cut-out embroidery, and body chains, the collection also mined McCartney’s history and even her “late-90s time at Chloé.
The collection merged McCartney’s basic design with a playful sensuality, as the asymmetrical shapes and cuts offered a fun and formal collision to the clothes. With glimpses of body jewellery, chains and crystals hiding under jackets and T-shirt dresses.
Photo credits: Filippo Fior / Paolo Lanzi / Salvatore Dragone
Chanel
A sultry performance with a touch of old Hollywood glamour for spring/summer was presented by Chanel’s Virginie Viard. A collection inspired by Alain Resnais’ Last Year in Marienbad (1961) film. This season, Chanel brings sophisticated allure, modernity, and lightness with a collection that explores a woman’s freedom of movement and expression.
The garments were elevated, transitioning from tweed minidresses and loose-fitting suits to shimmery gold gowns and sweeping skirts. From the chicest suits to the iconic Chanel tailored cardigan jackets; the catwalk was lined with pieces displaying every design element and fragment associated with the house.
The designer kept accessories minimal, using only a few handbags and sparingly using gold chains, but incorporated sparkle and feathers in other looks.
Viard has created an exceptionally beautiful collection. Light, nuanced and distinctly present.
Photo credits: Isidore Montag
Louis Vuitton
All fun and games as Louis Vuitton delved into childhood memories for the house’s spring/summer collection, which also marked an end to Paris fashion week. The colourful and youthful collection had some sophisticated looks beyond the obvious gimmicks, with a playful, contemporary approach to regal dress. Designer Nicolas Ghesquière let his imagination run wild with the theme of upsizing. Models walked the runway with giant zippers accompanied by even bigger Monogram “hand”-bags and huge bow collars, clownish buttons, and unfurling leather sections that were reminiscent of “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”.
Yet there is something deeper in the odd proportions and loud silhouettes featured in this collection. Ghesquière said he was using the scale as a tool to challenge female stereotypes. “Pretty tough, that was something we were talking about, and threatening beauty. The idea was to look at something pretty, something sweet, and to see in those elements what strength they have,” says the designer.
Photo credits: Isidore Montag
Words by Chanelle Jassim
Graphic by Jing Toh
