Here are the highlights from the Paris Fashion Week 2023
The womenswear autumn-winter season finally came to a halt on Tuesday. The month-long fashion tour has previously seen stops in New York, London, and Milan, before ending in Paris. Home to brands like Dior, Saint Laurent, and Givenchy, the city hosted shows from both established houses and rising labels. Here are some highlights from the final set of shows in the French capital.
In memory of Vivienne and Paco
The show remembered the two legends of 20th-century design Vivienne Westwood and Paco Rabanne, both of whom passed away recently. Westwood's widower Andreas Kronthaler presented new takes on her iconic pirate boots, corsets, petticoats, and platform shoes in her honor. The Spanish-French designer Paco, who died last month at 88, was remembered through his gold and silver sci-fi dresses of the 1960s.
Balenciaga returns
Balenciaga returned to the runway for the first time after the controversial advertising campaigns that embroiled the brand in a scandal late last year. From the oversized black tailored looks to the renowned flower-printed knife dresses by Demna, creative director of the company, the brand has marked a clear change of approach in a bid to shift the narrative.
Dior evokes the nostalgia of the 1950s
Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri brought back 1950s' fashion for their fall women's show, but with a modern spin to the era's feminine staples. Models sported short-sleeved button-up shirts with full skirts, cardigans, bustier dresses, and cropped jackets, in darker shades and floral prints, to create a look that is confident and deliberate. Accessories like headbands and tassels tied into bows made things better.
Givenchy reinvents the modern woman
Hubert de Givenchy updated its classic look for a more vivacious woman in its newest line, creating an appealing feeling of edgy glamour. Designer Matthew M. Williams reinterpreted Givenchy's legacy with strong-shouldered jackets jutting out of sharply tailored tuxedo dresses, exuding a boss lady energy. Williams created a picture of a positive modern woman with a natural sense of style.
Saint Laurent goes back to simple elegance
With his lineups for Saint Laurent at Paris Fashion Week, Anthony Vaccarello went back to simple elegance. Vaccarelllo created outfits with a selection of rich, traditional menswear fabrics that are brought to life by statement-making shoulders. Vaccarello's collection was more refined this time, featuring models walking the ramp in sharp shoulder dresses and silk blouses with neckties in 80s silhouettes.
