Playtime with Loewe
In a white cube in the courtyard of the Château De Vincennes, 45 minutes outside of Paris and its rich history newly transgressed by holding its first fashion show, Jonathan Anderson hosted his collection for the Spanish house amongst confetti cube artworks by Lara Favaretto, bodyguards at the ready lest a showgoer inadvertently bumps into one and creates confetti havoc. What came out was an expertly minimal series of looks, reflecting his continued exploration of reduction and modern surrealism. Two-dimensional duchesse satin dresses were printed with garments that had already been printed out on paper, a translation of a translation that looked like paper doll cutouts; while smoothed almost-rubberised pieces conjured up memories of Polly Pocket and knitwear was actually made from giant stickers. Hybrid dressed with built-in bags and desirable XXL carry-ons reminded audiences of Loewe’s leather goods roots. This toybox of a collection reaffirmed the designer’s desire to push the boundaries of clothing once more, but had loads of wearable pieces we know you’ll love.

Schiaparelli: Ready-To-Take-Off
After Daniel Roseberry’s extravaganza over couture fashion week, which saw a diamond-encrusted Doja cat and huge, faux taxidermy heads controversially ping about on social media, the designer’s ready-to-wear debut for Schiaparelli at Paris fashion week was a hot ticket. Daniel channelled his surrealist details and couture silhouettes into an everyday wardrobe with a collection of puffer jackets, crisp white poplin shirts, loose tailoring and knitwear that referenced the house’s design codes in finish (think keyhole motifs and oyster shell adornments). Of course, this “everyday” comes with a hefty price tag, but for those who can afford a perfectly crafted coat at the luxury end of the spectrum, and not necessarily want to shell out £10k+ for a bespoke couture creation… this hit just right.



Valentino host a black tie event
After a couture show which saw attendees hit the club, Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli cordially invited his audience to a black-tie event. It wasn't a dress code per se but instead a “codification,” as the show’s press release points out; meaning almost all 73 looks had a collar and skinny tie in some format. From suits to sequin and lace dresses and skirts, ties were firmly fixed on key looks, the one accessory entrenched in masculine power and formality, co-opted by the punk movement (did you see those Creepers with the Rockstud cleverly embedded within the soles?) and translated into Valentino craft? It was a valiant expression of his proposed uniform for freedom. With tweeds, checkerboard motifs, thick stripes and reimagined Rockstuds on bags and even fake nose piercings (borrowed from its 2010 origin), the collection called for a punk rock attitude and extravagance as the new chic.

McQueen’s Exploration of Anatomy
As is always the case with Sarah Burton’s collections for Alexander McQueen, which she has helmed for over a decade, the devil is in the detail. And for the brand’s triumphant return to Paris, after showing at home in London and New York over past seasons, Sarah presented a deeper and darker collection, which referenced everything we love about the savoir-faire of McQueen. The sinister and the natural, alongside Savile Row standard tailoring, were executed with human anatomy and extraterrestrial beings in mind. Featuring corsetry and orchid motifs that mirrored bone structures and coiling sculptural knitwear, the show was soundtracked by a reversed rendition of the music from Alexander McQueen’s autumn/winter 1998 show, Ring of Fire, harking back to the heydays of Lee McQueen himself.

Palm Angels fly to Paris
Palm Angels began as a Rizzoli photography book, which documented the Los Angeles skate scene, showcasing pictures that creative director Francesco Ragazzi took in 2011 while living on the West Coast and working at Moncler. Since its foundation in 2015, former collections have been rooted in streetwear and popular amongst celebrities, but this season, instead of catering to the laid-back style of sunny Californian, the brand looked to the City of Lights. Embodying Parisian style Palm Angels presented a collection that was much more sophisticated and elevated than ever before. Marrying both high and low, everyday looks: puffer coats, neat boxy jackets and sweatshirts were ramped up with added luxe (think faux fur trims, cashmere and gilded palm embellishments) to create a new, refined offering.

Watch the Palm Angels AW23 show here...

Sacai master deconstruction
Sacai reinvented the classics for another season, with trench jackets deconstructed and reconstructed from all angles; and reimagined typical menswear fabrics, like black wool sheets, banker's cloth and grey flannel, by slicing and splicing them into long coats, skirts and maxi dresses. Creative director, Chitose Abe's masterful tailoring, honed by his former experience at Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe, was reflected in every detail of the collection. Tacking stitch that typically suggests something temporary made an unexpected appearance as embroidery on tailoring, rendered in bonded suiting fabric. The show was a masterclass in cut and fabrication… and we want to wear it all!

Camellias at Chanel
In a show space dominated by the giant insaillation of the bloom, Chanel ploughed rich its heritage for inspiration this season, bringing the iconography of the camellia to its audience in Paris. Derived from East Asia, the camellia flourishes in the winter and was famously beloved by Gabrielle Chanel and her predecessor Karl Lagerfeld, who officially made it one of the brand’s identifiable elements in 1983. 40-years later, Virginie Vigard continues this story with her ode to the camellia, in a collection of masterful tweed jackets featuring the 3D-floral in silk, leather and rhinestones; and floaty dresses littered with chintzy prints. We loved the seamless addition of more body diversity in the models’ looks in a season dominated by not enough.

Miu Miu for on the move
Off the back of Miuccia’s Prada show in Milan, dedicated to the unsung female heroes who keep the cogs of society in motion, the designer presented something far more radical in Paris with a Miu Miu collection for women (and men) on the go and in the office. Clothes for those moments when you're running out the door; shirt still awkwardly tucked into 15-denier tights, coats thrown upon coats and hair that has been beautifully made up but for a tuft that has been left dishevelled. Of course, Miuccia did it in the chicest ways with cashmere roll-neck jumpers and twin-set cardigans, mesh skirts, sequin embellished hotpants and tweed mini dresses. Models carried their handbags with ladylike delicacy, and kitten heels made the underpants combos more demure. There was a relatability to the collection, even if sheer black tights were worn under cashmere, tight sweatpants (really? Who has the time?). Miu Miu was an amazing end to the autumn/winter 2023 collections as we distil the overstimulation of our eyes having feasted on so many ideas and beautiful clothes and accessories.