PFW AW24 Highlights

A standout this season, following his eponymous show steeped in Granny-chic at LFW, Jonathan Anderson presented an equally electrifying Autumn/Winter 2024 collection for Loewe. A fabulously twee affair, Jonathan transformed the show space into a green-walled “gallery”, where 18 small landscape and domestic scenes painted by the reclusive late American painter Albert York – depicting flowers, dogs and nature – lined the walls. The show was a meditation on the meaning of luxury and class, with glass-beaded embellishments inspired by decorative antique objects and motifs of flora and fauna carried over from elaborate tapestries.

Jonathan created interesting points of friction with sweeping trousers that sashayed down the runway and razor-sharp tailor coats, alongside chintzy florals, hand-painted radish and potato prints, buttercups, and foliage plucked from the English country garden. It was eclectic and bizarre, in the best of ways, placing Mr Anderson firmly at the forefront of fashion this season.

Titled ‘The Woman Who Dares to Cut Her Own Hair’, Dries Van Noten’s collection paid homage to the tenderness and boldness associated with cutting hair. Double-breasted coats, with rounded sleeves and stand-up collars, embodied the warmer side of femininity and the camel, grey and navy colours captured a tasteful familiarity.

For the brand, the intrepid nature of womanhood evolved as the looks descended the runway. An oversized hoodie in heather grey, paired with a jersey skirt and mahogany heeled mules was a signature Dries Van Noten idea of the bold woman. Shaggy ‘fur’ coats (we’re seeing a LOT of fake fur on the catwalks!), clutches and scarves added an edge, while wide-legged jeans and other denim touches added a relaxed addition to the otherwise tailored elements of the collection. Satin periwinkle came alive as pleated cigarette trousers, structured asymmetrical blouses and jackets and candy colours of bubblegum pink, lavender and pale lime proved that the Dries woman for all her stylish professionalism, still knows how to have fun.

In a former railway warehouse, now transformed into an art space-cum-community centre, Marine Serre invited audiences into her world, transporting guests straight off the plane to the boulevards and boulangeries of the city of light. Carrying Serre-ified objects such as pizza boxes, coffee cups, newspapers, and takeaway bags, the cast was joined by Maggie Maurer and to guests’ befuddlement, a Kate Moss doppelganger.

Marine’s signature crescent moon motif appeared across uber-technical athletic looks that were spliced with an elevated elegance. Mesh formed the basis of skintight catsuits and dresses that were given the sporty touch with thumbholed sleeves. A series of finely draped upcycled scarfs emerged, as well as a brooch digitally printed all-in-one, before a final dress in black “wet” jersey. The collection, much like The Spice Girls, had something for everyone, showcasing Marine’s magpie approach to making a collection for all.

For her second Paris Fashion Week show, Louise Trotter delivered once more with a collection that continued her quest to make the everyday precious, bringing her archetypal wardrobe to life with unexpected embellishments, fabrications and proportions. From gathered wool and taffeta, held in place by gleaming brooches to sweeping overcoats worn with metallic neoprene boots, sporty lycra leggings and crumpled nylon skirts, the distinction between day and evening wear was convincingly blurred.

As collars protruded from lapels and signature soft clutches flopped comfortably over the model's arms, the allure of being dressed up – albeit in stages of undress – shone through. An elevated day-to-night wardrobe, channelling Parisian chic with a British sensibility – what’s not to love?

In a hollowed-out former covered market in Paris’ 4th arrondissement, loyal Ann Demeulemeester supporters, dressed in a veil or all black, flocked to see the brand’s latest offering from creative director Stefano Gallici, his second outing for the brand. The collection honoured house codes, with waistcoats, tailored trousers, three-piece suits and a familiar slouchy elegance central to the story.

Models stomped the black carpeted runway in buckle biker boots, but the collection wasn't all rough and tough, as fluttering chiffon, delicate lace, and silk ruffle hems, poured out of structured leather jackets and snappy tailoring trimmed with fake fur. This season Stefano brought a renewed sense to the brand, with a show steeped in “Indie Sleaze” that captured the moment, by looking both forward and back.

It's a rarity these days to see bold, non-commercial silhouettes on the runway (let’s exclude Junya and CDG, given their long history). Still, Duran Lantink’s show in Paris offered up a delight in a sea of commercial jitters. With puffed-out shoulders, bulbous hip pads, and lumps and bumps in irregular places, Duran proved his ability to defy dimension and offer an interesting development on his previous collection. The current LVMH Prize semi-finalist sent cropped leather, puffer, fur and bomber jackets and three-dimensional cutout vests that coiled around the body down the runway.

Duran’s alpine inspirations manifested as Fair-Isle knits, which spread across the collection rendering cheeky micro-padded hot pants and oversized cropped jumpers, reinterpreting the power-shaping of ’80s ski style. Made from upcycled and vintage garments, the collection walked the line between silly and special, a true showcase of Duran’s prowess in the perfect fit of his distorted designs.

For Valentino, black is the new black. A far cry from the generous splashes of that ever-vibrant PP Pink, Pierpaolo Piccioli presented a deeper, darker and more dramatic monochrome vision for these days. Silhouettes danced between operatic and masculine; the show opened with an uber-elegant skirt suit, finished with perfectly squared-off shoulders and a cinched waist, but was soon followed by a spectacular dress that featured a sheer top half and a loosely pleated swishing skirt with Valentino atelier skill embedded within.

Mesh and lace took centre stage, forming the base of whole looks or adding a seductive flourish when used in combination with more macho elements. While an all-black collection runs the risk of monotony, the mix of fabrics allowed the shade to take many forms. A sequined skirt allowed for the darkness to dance down the runway, while a patent leather bomber jacket, and a-line skirt set blended those biker and feminine elements. After Valentino’s collection, we can now confirm with confidence that it absolutely wasn't a phase, mum.