As the curtains close on Women’s SS/24 fashion month, it is time to decide which designers made the biggest mark on the French capital. As always, each show was a spectacle of gorgeous designs, new innovations, and dramatic runaways. From parading in front of the dazzling Eiffel Tower at YSL to wandering through grassy meadows at Hermes; this year’s Paris Fashion Week really did have something for everyone.
Monday was kickstarted by Louis Vuitton. The show took place at 103 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, which had been transformed by scenographer James Chinlund who captured the spirit of travel through a draping golden-orange recycled material and warm-summer light. As models strutted down the orange runway, guests (such as Zendaya, Cate Blanchett, and Jenifer Connolley) marvelled over Nicholas Ghesquière’s contemporary travel-ready wardrobe. This featured a blend of textures, contrasting glossy textiles with light-weight woven knits, displayed through an ensemble of airy skirts and tailored jackets pulled together with large belts to form quintessential Parisian fashion. What a way to start the week!
Paris was then painted red by Balenciaga’s lavish red velvet-lined theatrical panorama. As the show unfolds, BFRND fills the room with a resonant soundtrack exploring the innovative concept of sonic couture. Isabelle Huppert eloquently recites La Veste Tailleur’s instructions on how to tailor a jacket, whilst being accompanied by a seamless blend of orchestra, piano, and electronic music.
The intricate attention to detail reinforces Balenciaga’s position at the forefront of contemporary fashion, as seen on the masterfully upcycled car coat, presented gracefully on Denma’s biggest muse, his mother. It can be said that Balenciaga were the pioneers of sustainability this week with their ground-breaking inclusion of LUNAFORM, used to construct the fabulous floor-length bathrobe. This technology uses animal and plastic-free textiles made from fermented cellulose and really is an ode to Balenciaga’s effort to be more sustainable. Bravo Balenciaga!
To finish, a political statement was made in classic Christian Dior fashion at Elena Bellantoni’s ‘NOT HER’ runway spectacle. Bellatoni placed herself in the shoes of a sexist advertiser to put together a series of adverts: NOT HER is an image in itself, the response to the stereotype, because it’s not HER. These were made up of infamously misogynistic ads from the 1940s, paired with a statement from a female point of view as a response to act as a linguist response to the prejudice women have historically received in the media.
The runway was lit up by fuchsia and yellow stripes, which were designed to show the juxtaposition between women’s bodies and language. As for the clothes themselves, DIOR used their iconic designs that combined deconstruction and reinvention. Many items encompassed the brand’s heritage using hypnotic prints, depicting the Eiffel Tower. Overall, another excellent example of DIOR’s ability to showcase beautiful feminine creations, whilst protesting political issues.
So, that’s the curtains closed on another week in the capital of fashion. Yet again, designers wowed with their commitment to creativity. We cannot wait to see what they do next – au revoir!
