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Trendy Paris Rooted for Contrast: Transparent Bits-of-Nothing were Overlaid with Voluminous,
Shoulder-Padded Coats, Faux Fur Reigned Supreme and Black is Back.

At Louis Vuitton

Image Credit Paris Fashion Week and Vogue

The mighty fashion gods have spoken, and as the biggest fashion event on the global fashion calendar Paris Fashion Week draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of what’s destined to make their way into our Winter 2024 wardrobes.

There were trends aplenty, those communal currents that ran through most of the collections that’ll soon enough be interpreted and migrate to your high street. Sit up and take notice!

We saw plenty flesh, that’s to say, through the transparent layers of flimsy pieces draped, stretched and folded over models’ bodies. Saint Laurent took the trend to new heights with their almost exclusive use of pantyhose fabric.

Faux fur seems to be one of those trends that’s simply too cosy and glamorous to ditch. Most designers incorporated this fuzzy animal-inspired comfort cloth into their collections in one form or another. Schiaparelli perhaps boasted the most interesting of these – an orange/brown bomber jacket complete with built-in leather corset.

Leopard print, that perennial favourite, also made many appearances, most notably so at Alexander McQueen of all places, thanks to new kid on the block, Dubliner Seán McGirr.

And black is officially the new black. Comme des Garcons, Givenchy, Schiaparelli, Alexander McQueen and many others celebrated this eternal Winter classic colour, often in shiny leather.

What else has been trending?

• Volume – and copious quantities of it – as seen in oversized slacks, jackets and coats.
• Grunge – popping up in all guises, everywhere!
• Sportswear-inspired everything – yay to comfort!
• Shoulder pads (and huge 80s ones at that) – see Stella McCartney and Luis Vuitton for a masterclass.
• The Midas touch was everywhere, from Chanel to Louis Vuitton

Sit back and have a peek at our offering of some of the very best of the collections at Paris Fashion Week AW 2024.

STELLA MCCARTNEY

Watch Stella McCartney’s show here:

Power shoulders reminiscent of the eighties were perhaps the key feature of this Stella McCartney collection. They bulked out floor-sweeping shaggy coats, flimsy dresses, teensy tops and boxy jackets. And often they were worn over nothing – just skin. That’s the kind of au-naturel confidence these pieces invoke in its wearers.

Models in slouchy knitwear had long matching loopy, large-knit scarves trailing behind them like tails. Dresses and hold-alls got the same loopy knit treatment. These are playful and animated statements, not to mention how cosy they appear, evoking days being comfy but glamorous on the sofa.

Tailoring was laser-cut and often embellished in fine crystal detail, denim came with eco leather/ pleather chaps and a strappy T-shirt conveyed the expletive part of the Ode to Mother Earth read by Olivia Cole at the start of the show.

Included in the collection was arguably the most perfect faux exotic leather belted trench with its striking upturned collar – beyond covetable!

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

At Stella McCartney

MIU MIU

Watch Miu Miu’s show here:

After showing her collection Miuccia Prada said of her offering in an interview with Vogue, “I think they are classics. Everyone can choose from them to be a child, or a lady. Every single morning, I decide if I’m going to be 15-years-old, or a lady near death.”

And we agree, the collection was indeed ageless – from classic two piece suits to utilitarian workwear uniforms to children’s babydoll dresses, complete with coloured tights. It was a statement of intent of the kind we’ve come to see from Miuccia Prada over the past decades: stripping down fashion to its core elements, then adding something just a little special to them each season… the classic little pea coat that got the rhinestone treatment, the basic little white maid’s uniform that a stunning neon floral dress, and the humble Mary Jane or pointy kitten heel are a case in point.

Personal favourites included the many oversized floral gathered knee length skirts paired with sweaters and bomber jackets or cropped double breasted cardis – a grungy, effortlessly easy look that only Ms Prada could convince us to invest in. Hats off yet again to a legend – were sold.

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

At Miu Miu

DRIES VAN NOTEN

Watch Dries Van Noten’s show here:

Four jaw-dropping decades of Dries have have spoilt us in expecting a visual feast every new season. And this season didn’t disappoint; the king of colour and texture pulled out all the stops – again.

The deliciousness came in threes: most ensembles consisted of a trio of colours. Take for example the lavender satin slacks topped with a soft apricot stretch knit and fluffy pistachio scarf draped over the shoulders, or the hand-painted coat with its Indian-in blue collar and shoulders, raspberry pink middle section and hem dipped in milk chocolate…

Lavender was the colour that threaded the collection together. An ensemble like the avant-garde shaped duchesse satin coat over faded blue jeans and gingham top is pure perfection – casual, individualistic and chic. Faux fur (unsurprisingly a huge trend again for AW 2024), plaid – both bold and subtle – and hand-painted surface designs worked hand-in-hand with the layered looks.

The entire colour kaleidoscope – from boldest primary inky shades to the softest of pastels in all quirky combinations – were in the collection. Take your pick!

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

At Dries Van Noten

CHANEL

Watch Chanel’s show here:

Creative director Virginie Viard’s models hit the runway sporting oversized straw sunhats and platform boots reminiscent of the 1970s. Over 70 looks were featured in this nostalgic collection that looked back at the long history of the House of Chanel from its inception in the Roaring Twenties until today, pausing perhaps deliberately at the 1970s for longer than at eras.

The looks featured the brand’s signature tweed in all its many guises, Chanel bags with their trademark chains, gold buttons, gilt belts with dangling appendices and other Chanel paraphernalia. There was even a nod to sailor style from the 1920s, the inspiration Gabrielle Chanel based her debut collection upon.

Frilly, tiered chiffon printed dresses were styled with thigh boots and a standout piece in the collection was the belted molten metallics two piece with its furry boots and oversized Chanel necklace. All in all, a collection that most certainly invites a younger crowd to experience – and style for themselves – these tried and tested classics.

At Chanel

At Chanel

At Chanel

At Chanel

At Chanel

LOUIS VUITTON

Watch Louis Vuitton’s show here:

Nicolas Ghesquière pulled out all the stops in this celebration of his decade at Louis Vuitton and as would be expected, the show took a long look at all the key elements of his time as creative director.

Above all, the Louis Vuitton wearer must travel! Prints of the iconic travel bags adorned surfaces of little cocktail dresses. The Midas touch was seen in many ensembles, and so was a nod to the wild – faux fur looked super soft and cosy.

The transparency trend found its way into this collection too, as did the beloved oversized shoulder pad. Fluffy gloves accompanied most ensembles, and the jackets were opulent, regal, and covered in metallic thread and precious stones. As contrast, there was a throwback to highly simplistic pieces – soft grey wool dresses, for example.

Ghesquière pulled off a masterful offering that felt extremely contemporary, even futuristic, in its reinterpretation of what’s gone before. Here’s to the next 10 years.

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Watch Vivienne Westwood’s show here:

Andreas Kronthaler and the late Vivienne Westwood love their historic references. In fact, Kronthaler took inspiration in all eras starting from the Middle Ages, through the 15^th, 16^th century to the current day!

But in this collection he singled out one piece of historic fashion, the codpiece. It was a revered centrepiece, sometimes disguised as a speedo, sometimes a bag. There were historic references to armour and militaria in many of the ensembles too.

One can’t help but sigh a sigh of relief that Kronthaler stuck to many of the signature paraphernalia of the vast and ‘traditional’ Westwood legacy, the legacy we’ve come to know and love: the tartan, plaid, ticking, tweed, wool, the ripped camouflage, the voluminous milkmaid skirts, the pirate jackets and the exaggerated pirate boots/waders.

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

At Vivienne Westwood

MAXHOSA AFRICA

Laduma Ngxokolo called his collection “My Conviction’ – a move away from European influences and a celebration of Africanness.

Maxhosa Africa, as true to its original values as at its inception in 2011, showcased an array of stunning isiXhosa-inspired knits. Says the designer, the range is created “through a simple, yet dynamic concept of initially reinterpreting traditional Xhosa beadwork patterns and motifs into modern fashion premium pieces, that we later infuse subtly with other African aesthetics.”

Every one of these pieces oozes luxe elegance, but don’t mistake these for the European masters of pattern Missoni or Hermes. These are original, authentic, unmistakably and inimitably African – from Africa, of Africa, but thankfully for the whole world to wear.

At Maxhosa Africa

At Maxhosa Africa

At Maxhosa Africa

At Maxhosa Africa

At Maxhosa Africa

At Maxhosa Africa

GOODBYE FROM PARIS FASHION WEEK AW 2024!