We’re transporting you into the best of Paris Fashion Week, and reliving the exuberant fall/winter 2024 runway shows of Issey Miyake, Giambattista Valli, Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga, Akris, and Mugler.
Issey Miyake Debuts a Primal Collection at the Museum of Immigration History
Courtesy of Issey Miyake.
Within the stunning Museum of Immigration History at Palais de la Porte Dorée, Issey Miyake offered a primal and ravishing autumn/winter 2024-25 collection: “What Has Always Been.” Energized by the pure human act of dressing, Artistic Director and Designer Satoshi Kondo weaved a delicate balance of fine hand craftsmanship and thoroughly wearable garments—culminating in a supremely gracious and creative presentation.
A rainbow of vibrant hues and organic patterns appeared on otherworldly garments that draped around the figure with floral artistry, both organic and transcendent. Inspired categories focused on uniquely cultivated forms, fabrics, and concepts; INTERPLAY offered fluid stacks of colors in double-layered knits, VIGOR revealed sensuous wildflower patterns in verdant shades invoking natural herbs found in Japan, and WANDER displayed mesmeric circular hand pleats across free-spirited silhouettes.
Giambattista Valli Unveils a Feminine Treasure Trove of Chic and Luminous Garments
Photo by Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com, courtesy of Giambattista Valli.
The Giambattista Valli fall/winter 2024 presentation was a feminine treasure trove of chic and luminous garments, infused with heavenly tones, textures, and embellishments. Elegant, lithe silhouettes unfolded in ankle-length coats of butter yellow and onyx featuring metallic buttons, making way for understated and luxurious monochromatic suiting paired with delicate flats enhanced with sleek bow details.
A parade of dynamic dresses beckoned for day-to-night allure, from an elongated translucent creation with lush maroon embroidery to a flowing show-stopper blooming with colorful wildflowers paired with a furry petite vest. Playful tweed jumpsuits and suits boasted contemporary frayed edges or seductive sequins, with a full celestial symphony playing out in mini dresses and two-piece outfits with gem and pearl detailing, shimmering head-to-toe metallic numbers and an incandescent whipped cream-esque masterpiece.
Ann Demeulemeester Proposes a Vulnerable Autumn/Winter 2024 Collection
Photo by Valerio Mezzanotti, courtesy of Ann Demeulemeester.
Creative Director Stefano Gallici proposed a vulnerable and explorative Ann Demeulemeester autumn/winter 2024-25 collection. Set to a rapturous live performance by Neuf Voix, models were embraced by powerful and sophisticated coats with wool embellishment, beneath which lingered the tenderness of negligees. Grace and rawness worked beautifully together in a skilfully undone knit dress layered over a crisp white shirt, as well as in mammoth wool vests, artistically torn sweaters, polished jackets, and stately pleated skirts.
Earthy shades of blue, green, black, burgundy, and ivory in slick satin, leather, and chiffon evoked a spiritual journey into shadowy woods—with protective buckled boots and darkly glittering earrings, headpieces, and knee-length necklaces leading the way.
Balenciaga Places Visionary Imagination Front and Center at Les Invalides
Courtesy of Balenciaga.
The majestic 17-century Les Invalides complex proved to be a rapturous locale for the Balenciaga Winter 2024 runway show. Models donning surreal garments walked to a vibrant soundtrack of beats and voices synthesized into futuristic dialogue, all while screens displayed the perfection of mother nature fused with technological prowess. Exclusive releases of the 24/7 mask, a sculptural, wraparound creation, and the limited edition eBay t-shirt, were presented alongside a striking array of deconstructed dresses, graphic shirts, and voluminous outerwear.
Ready-to-wear standouts included frozen drape dresses, maxi faux-fur coats deftly aged with resin, and colorful puffer jackets with coordinating skirts. Bold accessories such as beanies which may veil the face if so desired, fanciful Louis XV slippers, and upcycled biker glove handbags placed the visionary Balenciaga imagination front and center.
The Akris Fall/Winter 2024 Collection Invoked Photograms of Swiss Artist Katalin Deér
Courtesy of Akris.
Swiss artist Katalin Deér’s haunting photograms—and her search for multiform dimensions—laid the groundwork for an exquisite Akris fall/winter 2024 collection. Meant to surrender to every movement, whim, and desire of the modern woman, a flood of transformable gems graced the runway. Garnished with meditative and minimalist prints, trench coats evolved into skirts and dresses, while ghostly garments filled their surrounding space with ardent memory and movement.
Velvet blazers, figure-hugging tube dresses, and multi-dimensional sweaters in tones of pinot noir and caramel, sparked by metallic gold, weaved a narrative of undeniable freedom in femininity. Bouclé cashmere knits, cotton gabardine, and lacquered lace offered notes of soulful sensuality, with dazzling metallics and featherlight organza sending the Akris heroine into wondrous, uncharted territory.
Best of Paris Fashion Week: Mugler Stirred a Supernatural, Dark Romance
Courtesy of Mugler.
Glistening moments of pure audacity ebbed and flowed throughout the Mugler fall/winter 2024 collection. A dark romance was ignited by way of serenely sculptural dresses with sky-high slits, off-the-shoulder constructions, and skin-tight fabrics. Cascading across the figure in snake-like form, long-sleeved iterations enveloped the hands, angular details added dimension to the hips, and provocative sheerness left the human form to speak its truth.
Shining fringe in a red-hot mini-dress, a dancer-like onyx gown, and a robust jacket brought to mind the euphoric golden age of Broadway—offering performance pieces for the everyday starlet. Abstract images of nature’s delights were poured into fierce mini dresses, while origami-like coats and gowns swathed models in supernatural dynamism.
