The curtains rose on the 2024 Paris Fashion Week on February 26, promising a dazzling display of style and innovation, with the grand finale set to unfold in flair on March 5.
Paris Fashion Week, established in 1973, is a bi-annual event organized by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. It showcases designers and luxury brands, setting trends and influencing the global fashion scene. Before its formalization, fashion shows in Paris were sporadic, evolving from private displays in the 1920s.
Haute couture involves custom-fitted, handcrafted luxury garments, showcased during Paris Fashion Week. It’s exclusive and made-to-order, with only select houses officially recognized. Prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear, offers standardized sizes and is more accessible to the public. Both segments are integral to Paris Fashion Week, representing luxury and mass-market aspects of the industry.
Paris Fashion Week is a pinnacle event, featuring major fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent. These iconic names present their latest collections, influencing global fashion trends and maintaining their prominence in the industry.
Paris Fashion Week showcased a fusion of eras, cultures, and styles, with a focus on “quiet luxury.” At Hermes, Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski explored leather’s possibilities, balancing fierceness with softness and emphasizing restrained elegance.
Vivienne Westwood’s show blended punk aesthetics with historical references, transporting the audience to medieval times with a rebellious spirit. Carven, under Louise Trotter, combined the brand’s 1950s origins with 1990s minimalism, featuring statement pieces that played with dimensions and perceptions. The event celebrated contrasts, from audacious punk to refined elegance, creating a spectacle of diverse influences.
In Paris on March 4, Stella McCartney directed her audience to a vast greenhouse in a city park for her winter runway presentation. The collection, showcased under bright sunlight, featured garments crafted from recycled wool, nylon, cotton, and polyester.
Against the backdrop of melting icebergs on screens, Olivia Colman’s voice, symbolizing Mother Earth, pondered the impact on the environment. Models graced the runway in loosely-tailored suits with prominent shoulders, low-cut trousers, silky asymmetrical dresses, leather-like trench coats made from apple-based material, and substantial cape-like coats with wool patchwork. McCartney’s show served as a poignant reminder of fashion’s environmental impact.
