Paris in a Flash
As the city that every industry insider secretly adores the most, Paris Fashion Week never fails to deliver. Editor-at-Large, Harriet Quick takes the measure.
To a backdrop of Chris Isaak’s heart wrenching Wicked Game, Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga delivered a thrilling collection that returned to the era’s iconic silhouettes, from power shoulders on outsize jackets to working girl trench coats that looked utterly Parisian.
He made the proportions feel so utterly relevant for today with bodycon spandex slim leggings, draped jersey and silk peplum blouses in purples and cornflower blues. Vibrant floral trapeze dresses and bodysuits with matching over the knee boots provided the next chapter on this season’s patchwork design while the puffa jacket got its successor in the shape of a ‘blow-up’ vest.
Survival is the name of the game in the capricious world of fashion. For his debut at Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello channeled his prodigious skills with leather and tailoring into sharp shouldered Le Smoking jackets, sculpted leather sweetheart neckline bodices with giant balloon sleeves and slanted shoulder leopard print micro dresses raised high on needle thin heels. He took Paloma Picasso as his inspiration and dug deep into Saint Laurent’s rich archive in a collection that was piqued to polarize opinion – you either love it, or don’t.
Paris is about distinct voices and Phoebe Philo’s is thoughtful and ruminative – above all, the Celine woman remains ‘removed’ from the push and pull of frenetic trends. Philo collaborated with artist Dan Graham on a two-way glass set to conceptualise the intriguing way we build our own images and how we are ‘viewed’. Her bird’s eye view, percolated into intriguing silhouette of monochrome voluminous tailoring with slouchy button front pants, painted slips, sweet smock dresses and liquid jersey caped gowns in lemon and rose pink.
Claire Waight Keller at Chloé also had diversity on her mind with sailor’s trousers and smock tops in cotton drill; sail cloth shorts and pretty ‘70s florals fashioned into camisole tops and outsize pants. There’s a new leather and suede backpack to take you out into the world on a bicycle or jet.
Girl power? That's something Stella McCartney has proclaimed since the get go. There was dancing in the aisles as her models proved her fashion is made for moving and grooving in. All-in-one denim playsuits, scrunched waist khaki skirts and parachute pants printed with Thanks Girls was a nod of appreciation to the women who has made her one of the most well-loved British exports for some time.
At sacai, Chitose Abe had revolution on her mind with embroidered camouflage print parkas, berets, back laced sailor sweaters and deconstructed tracksuits. Lots to excite and delight not to mention the debut of the sacai handbag line featuring satchel shapes with contrast leather straps designed with Londoner, Katie Hillier.
