Paris Fashion Week 2023: Givenchy went elegant, Chloé showed off Renaissance art roots and ‘Chinese Hermès’ Shang Xia chose simplicity, with stars like Jared Leto, Xu Lu and Liu Tao in attendance

Mar 3 , 2023

This combination of pictures created on March 2, shows models presenting creations from Givenchy womenswear autumn/winter 2023-24 collection during Paris Fashion Week in Paris. Photo: AFP

Live from Paris Fashion Week’s showcase of AW23/24 trends, starring Givenchy, which brought feminine fare to the runway courtesy of Kanye West and Lady Gaga collaborator Matthew M. Williams

Chloé’s Gabriela Hearst brought a quiet feminine power with Renaissance influences, while Rick Owens looked to Egypt and embedded motifs based on the devastation of the Ukraine war

From Renaissance art to couture and celebrity interruptions, Paris Fashion Week shows continued in vibrant form – presenting the final trends for autumn-winter 2023-24 from the fashion capital of the world. Here are some highlights from the ready-to-wear collections unveiled on Thursday (AKA day four) of the nine-day week …

Givenchy gets feminine

A model presents a creation from Givenchy womenswear autumn/winter 2023-24 collection during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, on March 2. Photo: AFP

The once-street and urban Matthew M. Williams uttered a word not often heard describing his designs: elegant.

“Yes, I love elegance and the house is a very elegant house. It’s easy to find that way when you’re here,” he said following his autumn show for the Parisian stalwart.

A model presents an all-green creation from Givenchy womenswear autumn/winter 2023-24 collection during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, on March 2. Photo: AFP

Find it this season he did. Williams went back to Hubert de Givenchy’s DNA and moved in a more fluid, gentle and feminine direction than previous seasons. It was a fresh, welcome evolution from his harder-edged aesthetic.

Menswear tailoring in black angular shouldered gowns and coats provided subtle contrasts against feminine touches, such as sheer chiffon that poked out underneath caressing a naked leg.

A model presents a creation by designer Matthew M. Williams as part of his autumn/winter 2023-24 women’s ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Givenchy during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France, on March 2. Photo: Reuters