Paris fashion week: the key shows – in pictures

12 mars 2015

Paris fashion week: the key shows – in pictures

The Observer’s Jo Jones and Helen Seamons pick the highlights from Paris fashion week autumn/winter 2015. From independent women in brocade and khakis at Dries Van Noten to that Valentino catwalk take-over by Zoolander stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson… here’s what’s hot right now...

DRIES VAN NOTENIn a week that saw International Women’s day celebrated, the Dries show could have been the uniform and the soundtrack for the cause. Acappella voices of iconic female singers provided the perfect backdrop for a collection marrying floral corsages and decadent brocade with utilitarian khaki fabric. And there was an early Paris outing for the ankle boot, AW15’s runaway footwear trend, seen here in velvet.
A Dries Van Noten woman is a woman of substance with an enviable wardrobe.
CELINEDesigner Phoebe Philo knows how to create a functional luxury wardrobe that women love and the fashion editors adore. Eye-catching asymmetric leather skirts in pops of yellow or red, knitted dresses worn with leather harness accessories slung over one shoulder, silk otto prints decorating dresses and shirts, meant this was the wardrobe of dreams. To complete the look there were immediately coveted brilliant tennis trainers and woven block-heel shoes decorated with jewels. If money was no object our autumn/winter wardrobe would be complete.
GIVENCHYAs the first model appeared, resplendent in full face jewellery, the fashion crowd fumbled for the zoom button on their smart phones. This was Riccardo Tisci’s 10th anniversary as creative director at Givenchy and he marked the occasion with a look he described (controversially) as ‘Victorian-Chola girl’. His strict tailoring was evident throughout – corseted or peplum detailing on jackets were sharp and precise. The finale pieces showed his couturier’s eye – jet beaded embroidery was scattered across jackets and a strapless bustier dress.
LOEWEIf you thought you weren’t ready for a 1980s blouson silhouette think again. In designer Jonathan Anderson’s hands the awkward and ugly becomes desirable. The lilac lurex knitwear and pillarbox-red leather trousers with billowing wide legs (also in herringbone tweed) were a hit. As with all leather houses, accessories are key, the Puzzle bag, Anderson’s first bag for Loewe, unveiled for SS15, strikes just the right retro-yet-modern note. Its eyeshadow-shades of pink carnation is a dream.

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VALENTINOThe week’s surprise highlight came at Valentino when Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, in character as Derek Zoolander and Hansel, staged a ‘walk off’ at Valentino to mark the beginning of filming for Zoolander 2. The stunt had the audience on their feet whooping with delight. The collection itself deserves similarly high praise. The film’s plot remains a secret, but we can reveal Derek has yet to master the art of turning left – performing a deft 180-degree turn to traverse Hansel and complete his catwalk circuit: ambiturning, not so hot right now.
BALMAINOlivier Rousteing’s homage to 1970s Yves Saint Laurent with a nod to Tom Ford’s tenure at the house errupted in the ballroom of the Westin Hotel. Rousteing is bringing sexy back by way of flares, fringe and a frau who had social media in meltdown – Kim Kardashian and a near unrecognisable Jared Leto who both unveiled bleach-blonde barnets for the occasion. Balmain is anything but low key.
BALENCIAGAAlexander Wang raided the Balenciaga archives for a collection comprising of cocoon-silhouette coats and jackets and bubble skirts in tweedy melange wool, ‘stapled’ together. The modernity came in the styling: Chelsea boots and heavy-duty pearl earrings; over-sized and layered-up in triplicate on the ears. This is the takeaway trend detail – statement earrings are BIG news for next season.
MIU MIUParis fashion week signed off with a mash-up of super-sized tweed checks, stripes, snakeskin and animal prints at Miu Miu. Zingy yellow and tomato-red punctuated a clashing colour palette. Think Cathy Come Home meets prim prom queen on acid. All looks were accessorised with pony tails and paste earrings that could have been raided from a grandmother’s jewellery box. Start scouring charity shops now to get the look.
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CHLOEJudging by the percentage of the audience wearing Chloé to the runway show, it’s clear girls just can’t get enough of Clare Waight Keller’s touch at Chloé. Headline pieces were the lilac jumbo cord all-in-one, the floor-sweeping coats and super-cute mini dresses, not forgetting another hit on the accessories front, an encore to the knee-high gladiator sandals for summer – the super sexy lace-up boots.
CHANELThis season Karl Lagerfeld turned the Grand Palais into ‘Brasserie Gabrielle’ named after Chanel’s founder Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. The models wandered among the brasserie tables looking chic in flared jeans and boyfriend cardigans, slim tweed skirt suits and apron skirts that riffed on a maître d’s uniform. Top of our wish list were the Chanel plate bags. We hope they take reservation’s, the fashion clientele certainly have an appetite.
STELLA McCARTNEY
Stella McCartney’s relaxed dressing created the atmosphere to her A/W15 show, opening with a structural coat with handkerchief hem that lazily swayed as the model walked, followed by ribbed side-split knits and paper-bag waistband trousers, which are effortless and easy to wear. Style note: it’s essential your hands are thrust deep into the pockets for nonchalant cool. Noteworthy were the long-haired no-fur-fur which deserved a round of applause after a show season saturated with fur.