The autumn/winter 2018 season saw many female designers at the helm of heritage maisons, such as Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior, Natacha Ramsay-Levi at Chloé, Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, and Stella McCartney at her eponymous label. The breath of fresh air is also evident on the runway with strong heroines wrapped in sleek tailoring and romantic silhouettes with an edgy twist. Read on for our most memorable moments during Paris Fashion Week.
Alexander McQueen
Sarah Burton paints a whimsical picture inspired by the concept of “metamorphosis” and captures the intricate beauty of butterflies, moths and Scarab beetles in tailored silhouettes, couture-esque embellishments, and oversized bows.
After last season’s street-fashion influence, Pierpaolo Piccioli returns to the roots of romantic elegance that he’s all too well versed in. There are pretty scallop trims, floral knits and floor grazinggowns with exuberant embellishments, embroideries, and appliqués.
Paris Fashion Week: Saint Laurent’s show progresses from dark to colourful
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton chooses the Louvre’s non-defunct Cour Lefuel – an 1850s courtyard for Napoleon III – as the venue to show its latest collection. What can be more epic?
Models strut on the space shuttle-like runway in sci-fi uniform tops paired with tweed suit skirts and lush leather skirts matched with cropped jackets, accentuated with metal chains and hardware.
Loewe
Jonathan Anderson continues to excel with yet another outing at Loewe, leveraging the Spanish maison’s know-how in leather and shearling. The new collection boasts abundant outerwear options, from leather trench coats to shearling coats.
It’s a romantic autumn affair at Chanel’s autumn/winter 2018 show. The maison brings to the Grand Palais a few dozen oak trees from the Perche region in France to create the perfect canvas for the show.
Models take a stroll down the runway in ankle-length tweed skirt suits, abstract leaf prints, and Chanel-sealed puffer jackets.
Balenciaga
Demna Gvasalia shows the first Balenciaga combined men’s and women’s show during Paris Fashion Week. The new venue houses a skate-park structure featuring colourful graffiti depicting Balenciaga’s logos and iconic codes. Models open the show with a series of body-con tops feature sleeves with gloves, echoing the brand’s “it” sock boots. Hourglass-shaped suit jackets are also abundant on the runway. For the finale, models wear layers of denim, jerseys, parkas, puffers and fur.
Stella McCartney
The brand’s first unified show presenting both men’s and women’s wear in Paris portrays a dreamlike universe featuring trompe l’oei prints and deconstructed layers, putting an edgy spin on McCartney’s signature tailoring.
Maria Chiuri Grazia shows her most colourful outing since she took over the helm at Dior. Uniforms such as pleated kilts of different lengths are matched with masculine jackets in luxurious fashion. Crochets from the ’60s make a decadent return with Dior treatment this season. Organza dresses embellished with wool embroideries, parkas featuring delicate floral embroideries, and kilts rendered in point d’esprit highlight the craftsmanship of the haute couturier.
Chloé
Natacha Ramsay-Levi is taking a new direction at Chloé. The brand’s romantic codes that were soft and flowy are now re-interpreted with a cool vibe – think tough, elongated fit-and-flare silhouettes and ankle-length knits with sensual cut-outs.
The clothes are paired with much coveted stomping boots and sneakers.
Saint Laurent
It’s the second season that Saint Laurent has featured the magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower during Paris Fashion Week.
Anthony Vaccarello’s version of Saint Laurent girls is sexy and confident. Models are out and about in barely there leather shorts matched with sleek Le Smoking jackets, and see-through lace shirts and tops embroidered or trimmed with tassels. The looks are commercially sound as well as photogenic.