To the left:
The Givenchy runway is always illustrious with their extreme beauty moments. This year at Paris Fashion Week, Riccardo Tisci created the illusion of faces pierced with Victorian, antique jewelry. The pieces glued on the models gave an urban tribal feel. Tisci cited “Victorian Cholas” as his inspiration this winter, creating a combination of his goth aesthetic Latin street culture that he has long adored. Along with the edgy beauty and urban influences, the collection also possessed a dark romance feel. There were eloquent coats, and velvet dresses with Victorian prints, some even embroidered with a Catholic cross, dresses with medieval corsets, and a series of beaded gowns and jackets with a couture appeal.
To the Right:
Lineisy Montero Feliz made her modeling debut on the Prada runway in Milan, leaving the audience to marvel about who the new beauty with the exclusive short haircut and high cheekbones. This year in Paris Fashion Week, she went on to walk for the most notable shows: Balenciaga, Céline, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu. Montero Feliz is a fresh new face causing buzz on and off the runway.
To the left:
This year, Valentino began his runway with suits, followed by a beautifully dark and romantic collection. It elated and inspired, and suddenly the music shifted. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson charged the runway as Derek Zoolander and Hansel. The appearances induced a roaring audience, the atmosphere full of excitement and laughter. This surprise was a spark of energy everyone needed to conclude the week, and the ultimate catwalk walk-off.
To the right:
Always anticipated, Kenzo’s shows during Paris Fashion Week were bold and prominent. Not solely for Humberto Leon and Carol Lim’s collections, but also for the exhibition that comes with them. This year, the duo amazed the audience with three-story high rotating columns that moved and reflected around the vast warehouse space, resembling the movements of skaters on a rink.
To the left:
This year, the house of Lanvin celebrated its 126th anniversary. It feted the legacy of its founding designer, Jeanne Lanvin, with a retrospective at Paris’ Palais Galliera. The reminiscence of the brand’s roots heartened its current creative director, Alber Elbaz, to think about his own birthplace, Casablanca, and everything Morocco is capable of evoking. There was strong influence of the Sahara in his collection, such as tassels and passementerie, Berber stripes, bracelets, leather harnesses and snakeskin yokes, the shagginess of goat hair, and the gleam of gold.
To the right:
This year, designer Hedi Slimane connects with his edgy audience by tapping into the independent music scene. Slimane used elements of Los Angeles’ aesthetic and inspiration from the daring and fearless youth. The clothes in the collection tap into a moment in music history: punk. His army of models barged down the runway, which rose from the floor on what appeared to be some sort of chain and machinery, wearing black leather jackets, leather leggings, lampshade mini-skirts with stiff crinolines, shredded stockings and different furs. There were tight black mini-dresses with metallic shimmer. They bared one shoulder, some embellished with a single giant bow, colorful waist details or nothing at all. All of Slimane’s clothes were bold.
