By Veronica Saroli (ArtSci ‘ 14)
Contributor

Paris — the fashion week we’ve all been waiting for. The city of lights knows how to celebrate fashion, boasting the most popular fashion week of the season time and time again.

Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen presentations are highly visual displays. Sarah Burton’s creations were one of the most memorable of the season, inspired by shapes and textures found in nature.

This season’s show presented a swarming hive of insect-inspired looks with cinched wasp-like waists and slick bee-keeper hats of black patent leather, underlined by a lace veil and paired with edgy footwear.

The hourglass shapes and crinolines drew on the soft, femininity of honeybees, while the caging pannier dresses and tortoise corsets mimicked the texture of honeycomb.

Haider Ackermann
The Haider Ackermann show presented a monotonous runway that presented the clothes as works of art. Models took slow, dramatic steps, one controlled leg after the other.

This season Ackermann abstained from his traditional use of colour, opting to work with brazen prints on chiffon and silk.

The navy, grey, black and white palette was far richer and deeper than any other colours shown this season.

Ackermann’s stylistic use of backbone drapery and peplum belts underscored the collection.

Dries van Noten
Grunge may be heavy on the guitar, but Dries van Noten gave it a light, fresh twist. The show presented heavily layered and hand printed plaid, taffeta, organza and mousseline materials, paying homage to Kurt Cobain and the cuts and cloths of haute couture.

Pink lips, white sunglasses and faux dark roots completed the grunge look.

Rochas
Designer Marco Zanini went for youth, simplicity and romance, creating an effortlessly cool combination of modern and retro looks.

Lucia Pieroni used two Clé de Peau lipsticks, R1 for the base and R2 for the middle, topping it off with powder blush for a matte beet red lip.

The clothes weren’t the only thing grabbing audience’s attention; google Hedi Slimane’s feud with Cathy Horyn.

Christian Dior
The runway boasted airy chiffon curtains that separated each room, exemplifying Simons’ theme of freedom depicted in the collection.

Dior’s visionary 1947 Bar Jacket was reinvented using different hues of blue and grey, pleats, layering, flared hems and voluptuous hips. It was worn as both a coatdress and jacket, suggesting a call to freedom of choice.

Simons, a modernist, showed strong austere looks for the new Dior woman collection using bright colours, double facing fabrics, iridescent polyester and his characteristic use of stripes.

Saint Laurent
At the recently renamed Saint Laurent, Slimane honored Yves Saint Laurent’s vision and dedicated the show to Saint Laurent’s business partner Pierre Bergé. Plenty of wide brimmed hats, chiffon blouses, dresses, capes, floppy scarves and bows gave the show a Los Angeles meets Morocco meets Salem witch vibe. The sharp tailored jackets and razor skinny pants brought Slimane and the house Saint Laurent firmly into the equation.

There is no denying Slimane is re-channeling Saint Laurent into the brand; however the collection received some lukewarm reviews.