PARIS FASHION WOMAN AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 SAINT LAURENT BALMAIN GIVENCHY SCHIAPARELLI ALEXANDER MCQUEEN COMME DES GARCON BALENCIAGA

 

 

Image Credit Paris Fashion Week & Vogue

Arguably the most anticipated of all the fashions weeks in the world kicked off in the fashion capital of the world, and it’s fair to say all the world’s discerning sunglasses were firmly perched on noses for the crème de la crème of all fashion offerings, all in one place.

Over the eight days of the event, we were treated to a whopping 108 fashion shows and presentations by the world’s most prestigious fashion houses from Paris, Milano, London, Tokyo New York, Antwerp, and elsewhere.

The keenly awaited debut of Dublin designer Seán McGirr at Alexander McQueen may have been one of the events that a great number of breaths were held for, and it was indeed a refreshing surprise. McGirr, who holds a Central St Martins degree, has an impressive resume, including stints with Burberry, Dries van Noten, and JW Andersen. He brought Alexander McQueen a lot of personality, knowledge and youthful vibes. Check out the collection below.

Saint Laurent pulled off another one of its most emotional visual performances. It is no doubt that a future classic is in the works. And yet again the accompanying soundtrack created by French composer Sebastian – just like in previous seasons’ offering, was a piece of audio art in its own right.

There were also many other designers who made a mark on the fashion world, including Dries van Noten, Christian Dior (celebrating 10 years), Balmain, Givenchy. Rabanne, Schiaparelli. Isabel Marant. Loewe. Yohji Yomoto. Comme des Garcon. Balenciaga. Louis Vuitton.^Th anniversary of creative director Nicolas Ghesquière tenure) and Chanel. Alexander McQueen was there, as well as Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood. Maxhosa Africa, a South African brand, presented an amazing collection.

Let the fashion speak for itself! Relax and take it all in.

 

SAINT LAURENT

Watch Saint Laurent’s show here:

Who can ever forget the ‘Out Of Africa’ safari-style ensembles of Vaccarello’s SS 2024 collection? Beating the ‘wow’-factor of his previous offering was always going to be tough, but as soon as composer Sebastian’s violins introduced the first set of delicate and entirely transparent pieces, we knew we were going to be in for a treat of epic proportions. Or, rather, transparent dimensions.

Transparency as a key fashion trend has been sacrosanct for many seasons in both women’s and men’s collections. From Dolce& Gabbana to Prada, designers simply can’t get enough of showing skin. Vaccarello upped the ante by literally using pantyhose.

This collection that snugly wraps around the female form, accentuating every curve and contour (note to self – wearing no underwear is a prerequisite for sporting this season’s offering from Saint Laurent…) is sensual, ethereal and simply divine.

Pussy-bow blouses, crossover tops, boob tubes, pencil skirts and draped dresses were just giving us subtle glimpses of colour – camel, nude, toffee, taupe, olive, chocolate and burgundy, due to the sheerness and stretch of the fabrics. Skinny belts cinched waists and ankle straps shoes looked dainty, contrasting with the boldness of the bangles on models’ arms.

It may not be an ideal collection for the harsh Nordic winter but it’s oh-so-ephemeral, chic and ephemeral! There were a few options for layered jackets with wide shoulders and fluffy marabou coats. Come Fall 2024, there are no excuses for not wearing that transparent bodycon ensemble!

 

BALMAIN

Watch Balmain’s show here:

Olivier Rousteing delivered a stunningly sculptural collection to the Paris runway, all gold buttons, impeccable tailoring, quirky deviations from the classic – and oversized fruity earrings to top it all off with.

In a nostalgic and endearing tribute to the region of Bordeaux where Rousteing grew up, he paid homage to the wines of Bordeaux dangling from models’ ears, hung from their hands, the grape design printed on bodices and dresses.

The snail also featured (Escargots à la Bordelaise is of course a famous dish in the region) in various guises like the fossilized bodice-breast plate and the clips on bags and belts.

The sharp tailoring available included rigid peplums. 3-D pockets, embellishments and pockets, as well as hooded, cut-off crossover jackets with Safari pockets.

 

GIVENCHY

Watch Givenchy’s show here:

A colour palette reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties with powder-puff pastels contrasted with black details featured in many of Givenchy’s ensembles.

We loved cocktail dresses, thirties inspired evening gowns. Sharp leather tops. Asymmetrically draped skits. And oversized faux-fur.

The dove gray long dress was perhaps the most striking piece in the collection. It featured a black neckline that swept around the model’s neck, and it was topped with long black gloves.

The collection is also characterized by elegant coats, tailored suits and a range of other items that are wearable but not particularly distinctive. (You may be aware that the House of Givenchy still lacks a creative director).

 

SCHIAPARELLI

Watch Schiaparelli’s show here:

Daniel Roseberry, the creative director of Schiaparelli, has been working hard to raise the profile of this brand over the last few seasons (remember the realistic lions and cats pinned on coats from a few years ago?).

This time around he was adamant to give lovers of the brand something more ‘everyday’, more wearable and less ‘shocking’, for want of a better word, than what was previously on offer.

Suits – in wool, denim and exotic leathers – looked relaxed and easy to wear. (Roseberry couldn’t resist the Schiaparelli twist, though, and ties took the shape of hair plats.) A faux fur bomber with a corseted collar looked very cosy. Tan mock croc pants and matching jacket were also chic.

The house’s signature touches like the large gold earrings, bangles, buttons, bag clasps, dress straps and plaques left one in no doubt that this is the House of Schiaparelli, albeit an ever so slightly better behaved, less mischievous version of it!

 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Watch Alexander McQueen’s show here.

Arguably the most anticipated show at Paris Fashion Week this year was that of Alexander McQueen, not least because the house has a brand-new creative director at the helm, Dublin-born wunderkind Seán McGirr. Sarah Burton’s pointy kitten heels are not easy to step into, but McGirr was adamant to bring a new energy and a new lightness to what has always been a somewhat serious brand.

In contrast to Burton and the late Alexander McQueen, who aimed to create mostly show-stopping designs for the red-carpet, McGirr instead injected an energetic, casual air of streetwear & clubwear into the brand. Leopard prints and heavy boots were paired with grungy faux fur coats and oversized slouchy sweaters to create a brand that was letting loose.

Jeans are tied with ropes down the legs – a metaphor for breaking free from constriction? Leopard prints echoes the wild animal inside? A bright neon green knitted ensemble is in stark contrast to the ‘old’ McQueen’s blacks and subdued shades… Be it as it may, there were still many throwbacks to the ‘traditional’ Alexander McQueen silhouette in the sharply tailored, belted black leather trench coat for example.

One may have to get used to this new take on the old, but one thing is for sure, McGirr has already put his very own fingerprint on the house of McQueen, and who doesn’t like a rebel?

 

BALENCIAGA

Watch Balenciaga’s show here:

Demna is the creative director behind a collection of haute couture that is modern and contemporary. ‘Modern’ being the key here, as the ensembles are a maelstrom collages inspired by of AI, Tik-Tok and various other random city and landscapes. Demna took the idea of creativity (or was it over?) to its limit in this open-ended AW 2024 collection. In this open-ended AW2024 collection, Demna pushed creativity to the (or perhaps beyond?) limit.

In an Interview with Vogue Demna said, “what’s more important, perfection or imperfection? For me, it’s actually this coexistence of both, because that’s what makes us human now—the imperfection, the failure or the ‘miss.’ I love that idea. I think it’s beautiful. That’s what differentiates us from machines.”

The ensembles included grungy streetwear, sportswear, red carpet looks and more. Some looks were recycled, upcycled and repurposed while others were classic but deliberately oversized. Some ensembles were (no question) picture perfect, while others were not.

All that is left to say is that spontaneity was the driving force behind each and every piece. It’s up to you!

 

COMME DES GARCON

Rei Kawakubo said to Womenswear Daily in an interview, “This collection is about my present state of mind. I have anger against everything in the world, especially against myself.” And indeed the ensembles were explosive, pitch black (bar one) and full of rage. Models were seen stomping down the runway, stopping to throw tantrums.

Of course, the avant-garde pieces, with their voluminous skirts and oversized bows were impeccably made. They also featured huge zips and chains, as well as barbed wire and chain prints on fabric.

Models had inconceivably long hairdos to emphasize that everything is out of balance at the moment.

Kawakubo didn’t appear for a final applause, she stayed behind the scenes, containing her rage, but did send out a final piece in virginal white – the metaphorical dove perhaps?