Day 1: Wednesday September 29 - It is the last stretch of fashion month and Dries Van Noten welcomes everyone into Paris with signature simple clothes to lust after. - On to Gareth Pugh who continues showing in the fashion capital and opted for a
Day 1: Wednesday September 29
- It is the last stretch of fashion month and Dries Van Noten welcomes everyone into Paris with signature simple clothes to lust after.
- On to Gareth Pugh who continues showing in the fashion capital and opted for a video presentation with long Pugh collaborator Ruth Hogben. Kristen McMenamy can be seen here in all her Gareth glory.
- Roberto Cavalli began his season of celebrations with a best-of show in Milan, and continued on in Paris with a blow-out 40th anniversary dinner. A performance by Kylie Minogue at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts venue made it a night to remember.
Day 2: Thursday September 30
- Balenciaga is amongst the most anticipated shows and Nicholas Ghesquiere – always one to think ahead and against trends – didn’t disappoint. Sending down an army of tough, punk influenced girls in the plushest leathers and shirts in a sea of reds, blacks and whites.
- Delfina Delettrez presented another outstanding collection of her instantly covetable jewelry in a quirky eye-catching presentation of folded white shirts for the ultimate enhanced display.
- Carine Roitfeld celebrated the 90th anniversary of Vogue Paris in Karl Lagerfeld’s ex apartment in Paris (on the rise for the past couple of seasons for the perfect party, presentation venue) with a Bal Masque. Icons and icons-in-the-making turned up for the party of the season.
Day 3: Friday October 1
- London-based talent Richard Nicoll is making himself more at home in his second offering for Cerruti, a tale of 40’s silhouettes with bold graphic statements.
- Hermes launched their latest project "J’aime Mon Carre" (I Love My Scarf) injecting the classic Hermes staple with a more youthful, playful sentiment in a collaboration with arguably the coolest shop in the world, Colette.
Day 4: Saturday October 2
- Karl Lagerfeld collaborates with Italian shoe giant Hogan for a capsule collection with his current method of choice, a short film. Titled "La Lettre" with Magdalena Frackowiak and Baptiste Giabiconi starring and even a cameo by Kaiser Karl himself.
Day 5: Sunday October 3
- Phoebe Philo is still wowing at Celine, where she is building on a steady minimalist-minded customer instead of creating a different trend-oriented story every season. Although some ethnic references and bold colors did come into the mix this season, they were done in signature Celine stripped-back style.
- Over at Givenchy, much like Philo, Riccardo Tisci knows his customer and isn’t completely alienating his woman – except with the Italian mastermind, it’s all rock, hard edge and glamour as he shows a leopard-print, leather and zipper-heavy collection.
- Afterwards, the family-like group Tisci has quickly formed at the brand were invited to an after-show party that also served as a surprise birthday fete for Mariacarla Boscono. Here in video form, is the highlight of the night: Courtney Love performing a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”.
Day 6: Monday October 4
- British charmer Giles Deacon made his highly buzzed debut at French couture house Emanuel Ungaro, who could only get better after hitting rock bottom last season with actress-cum-designer Lindsay Lohan at the helm. Giles went into the archive, pulling out his favorite prints and Deacon-izing them. A very promising start for both the designer and the brand.
- Antonio Marras celebrated the 40th anniversary of Kenzo by showcasing a retrospective as the stunning finale. The show, set in Paris’ Cirque D’Hiver, was followed by a fittingly circus-themed fete.
Day 7: Tuesday October 5
- 1961 fashion cult film Last Year at Marienbad served as the inspiration for the set at Chanel, and the collection too. The movie’s costumes were, after all designed by Mademoiselle herself.
- Sarah Burton staged her first runway show for Alexander McQueen, where she gracefully stepped up to the difficult task of taking over the reigns from her late boss. She showed a lauded collection that was as much McQueen heritage as it was about new beginnings.
- Louis Vuitton teamed up with Ali Hewson’s ethical clothing line Edun to celebrate the opening of an exhibition titled Africa Rising.
Day 8: Wednesday October 6
- Marc Jacobs began the season with a feast of 70’s decadence at his namesake label, and rounded it up at Vuitton with a celebration of high-fashion camp with plenty of references to that decade, eye-searing brightness, beautiful laces and oriental prints all came borderline to bad taste, in an irreverent and playful manner signature of Jacobs. In case you didn’t believe it was all very intentional, he took his bow by obnoxiously chewing on a piece of gum.
- As the season came to an end, so did the decade long collaboration between Jean Paul Gaultier and Hermes. This was his final collection and came full circle showing an equestrian-inspired collection that was the perfect swansong for the creative marriage.
- The last show of the season, Miu Miu’s take on the current public obsession with fame came via elegant 40s shapes, neons and metallics. With a mash-up soundtrack of sound bites from X Factor, American Idol, Fame and other pop culture references, it was unclear whether Miuccia Prada was celebrating or castigating the state of the world, but it was highly original and provoking nonetheless.
Compiled by Max Ortega
