Paris (AFP) – Chanel presented its Fall-Winter collection on the last day of Paris Women’s Fashion Week on Tuesday, playing with proportions and layering in a show designed without incoming artistic director Matthieu Blazy. Staged in the Grand Palais exhibition hall in central Paris, the catwalk presentation featured a monumental black ribbon that spiraled up to the glass ceiling. Clothing highlights included a black tweed jacket with jewel buttons that transformed into a long coat-dress, while an oversize poplin shirt flowed down to the ankles. A pink tailored short ensemble was layered with a sheer jacket and matching long transparent skirt. Proportions were also at play in the accessories, with bags resembling oversize pearl necklaces, massive pearl rings or large clutches. Miniature handbags made an appearance as well.
The discreet yet highly respected Blazy was appointed artistic director of Chanel in December, six months after the abrupt departure of Virginie Viard. His first collection will be at the Spring-Summer 2026 Fashion Week in September, with front-row places set to be in high demand. Celebrities attending on Tuesday included fashion icon Anna Wintour, supermodel Naomi Campbell, South African singer Tyla, and French actors Anna Mouglalis and Carole Bouquet.
Paris Fashion Week will wrap up with Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent show later Tuesday, following a presentation by Miu Miu.
This Fashion Week has seen several new creative directors make their debuts. Sarah Burton earned rave reviews for her first show as head of Givenchy, which drew inspiration from the house’s heritage. The first Dries Van Noten show by Belgian designer Julian Klausner and Haider Ackermann’s debut at Tom Ford — the American label’s first-ever Paris show — also drew scrutiny.
Other labels that are either bedding in new designers or looking for fresh talent include Dior menswear, Bottega Veneta, Celine, Martin Margiela, and Gucci. Speculation continues to swirl around Dior womenswear amid rumours that this may have been Maria Grazia Chiuri’s final collection. For months, industry insiders have suggested the Italian artistic director could be leaving, possibly for Gucci. Recent departures — Sabato De Sarno from Gucci and Kim Jones from Dior Homme — have only fueled the buzz.
Industry sources suggest LVMH may be looking to hand Dior men’s and women’s collections to Jonathan Anderson, currently at the helm of Loewe, another LVMH-owned brand. The theory has gained traction given Anderson’s absence from the recent men’s Fashion Weeks in Milan, Paris, and London.
In the latest shake-up, British designer Mark Thomas has taken the helm at Carven, succeeding Louise Trotter, who moved to Bottega Veneta in December. More announcements are expected, with Celine and Fendi still lacking artistic directors. Meanwhile, John Galliano, who left Maison Margiela in December after a decade, has yet to announce his next move.
© 2024 AFP
