Your Guide to Paris Fashion Week's Biggest Moments
Fashion

Your Guide to Paris Fashion Week's Biggest Moments

It's back to business as usual in Paris, with a stacked schedule and plenty of parties to boot. This season sees the debut of Charles de Vilmorin at Rochas, Balmain's festival celebrating Olivier Rousteing's 10th anniversary and AZ Factory's tribute to Alber Elbaz alongside 40 other designers around the world. Below, a rolling guide to what's going on at Paris Fashion Week Spring 2022.

45 Designers Paid Tribute to Alber Elbaz at Paris Fashion Week

The last show of Paris Fashion Week (and fashion month in general) ended with a bang, some tears and an overwhelming sense of pride. AZ Factory, the new brand founded by Alber Elbaz, the beloved designer who passed away this year, invited 45 brands to come together and create a look that paid homage to Elbaz's legacy. Many of the designers were present at the show, including Bottega Veneta's Daniel Lee, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri and Rick Owens. The AZ Factory team then sent out looks of their own that were inspired by Elbaz's work throughout his career. It was a touching tribute that closed with Amber Valletta dressed like Elbaz taking the final bow as an explosion of rose petals fell from the ceiling.

CR x GREY GOOSE PFW Party

Photography: Jacopo M. Raule

Carine Roitfeld and Grey Goose hosted a party at the newly opened La Suite Girafe overlooking the Eiffel Tower to celebrate CR Fashion Book's new "PARADE" Issue while doubling as a surprise birthday party for Carine. Guests included Irina Shayk, Olivia Culpo, Natasha Poly, Riccardo Tisci, Miss Fame, Evan Mock and Law Roach. Cardi B and Offset were also spotted just outside the party as Carine was leaving and had a lovely chat together.

Roger Vivier's "Flooded" SS22 Film and VIP Paris Dinner

Courtesy of Roger Vivier

The last few seasons, Roger Vivier has experimented with collection films that double as homages to the world of cinema. For Spring 2022, the theme is a declaration of love for music with Flooded, a video that features a song composed and sung by Creative Director Gherardo Felloni. The cast includes Isabella Rossellini, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Anna Cleveland and Annabelle Belmondo who play the roles of muse, mother and fantastical creature, with a young solitary boy named Theo the main protagonist. During Paris Fashion Week, an intimate dinner was held to celebrate the film with VIPS like Coco Rocha, Precious Lee, Catherine Deneuve and Olivia Palermo.

Balenciaga's Red Carpet Fashion Show

Photo via Getty

In what had arguably the biggest screaming crowds of the week (seriously, the mob of fans stretched out for miles), Balenciaga upstaged everyone with their red carpet fashion show at a giant Paris theater. Inside, attendees could watch the livestream of guests and models walking the photocall as if it was a fancy film festival or movie premiere. (Designers like Raf Simons and Jonathan Anderson were among the people in the audience.) The main event, however, was a screening of the brand's clever new film with The Simpsons, which centered around Marge and Bart's fashion show debut wearing Balenciaga in front of a cartoon Anna Wintour. Genius!

Matthew M Williams' First Givenchy Show in Front of a Live Audience

Photos via Getty

It was Matthew M. Williams' first Givenchy show in front of a live audience, and the show venue was as grand as the magnitude of the occasion. He took over the La Défense Arena (the same venue in outer Paris where Gigi Hadid's Jacquemus hair-flip walk went viral) and staged a lit-up oval runway while suited men lined up at the entrance with trays containing some sort of black liquid drink.

The models marched in formation wearing all kinds of tailored gear, outerwear and embellished frocks, but what really stood out were the clunky shoes ("traditional clog ... with an integrated and molded TPU heel for ultimate ease") in knee-high and short styles and a variety of candy-colored hues. Brooklyn Beckham was there, as was his boo Nicola Peltz. Young Thug, meanwhile, provided the soundtrack for the show featuring new music from his upcoming album, "Punk."

Coperni Brought a Hemp Farm to Paris Fashion Week

Photos courtesy of Coperni

An actual hemp farm surrounded the perimeter of Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant's runway show for Coperni ("not weed!" Vaillant jokes). It was a far more low-key affair than the duo's splashy drive-in fashion show last season, which they staged as an ode to the night. For Spring, the contrast was palpable (you couldn't escape the pleasant odor) as they wanted this collection to represent the light as "a ballad to the sun."

It was a tribute to nature, but also daydreaming and escapism, a common theme designers have explored this year, something that was evident in the psychedelic prints, glitter and off-kilter shapes. "We always play with this idea of techno-chic for the Coperni girl, but we wanted to add a sunnier, beach-y vibe," Vaillant said backstage. To wit, the brand introduced a new bag called the Origami, whose design is a nod to the iPhone's photo app icon. (Steve Jobs' daughter Eve made her runway debut here.)

Their signature Swipe bag, meanwhile, was the inspiration for Coperni's first jewelry collaboration with Alan Crocetti, where earrings and rings took the shape of the classic style. More futuristic references included iridescent cowboy boots, deconstructed jackets with removable suspenders and sci-fi take on 2000s references like low-waist pants and crop tops.

Nina Ricci's Futuristic Mermaids for Spring 2022

Photography: Bosco Tamames

The ocean in all its splendor was the source of Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter's Spring 2022 outing for Nina Ricci, if you couldn't tell right away from the terrycloth mules, snorkel heels, fish net overlays, rubber bags and scuba suits that comprised the collection. In lieu of a live runway, they filmed a video (called "Tomorrow's Mermaids") where the set is engulfed by walls of water and models plunge underneath. A color palette of reef shades like kelp green and turquoise bring the point home.

Dries van Noten's Visual Fireworks for Spring 2022

Photography: Rafael Pavarotti

"An explosion of bold color and emotion" basically sums up the energy of Dries van Noten's SS22 collection, which is filled with saturated hues and decadent prints that look heightened in the context of Rafael Pavarotti's moody portraits. Festivals, joy and liberation were the themes this season, with clothes that are begging to be worn for the most explosive of parties.

Summer Beach Vibes at Isabel Marant Spring 20222

It was good energy all around at Isabel Marant's show, with smiling models, a sunset color palette, gradient ombres, summer sandals, baggy overalls, printed jumpsuits and poofy blouses making for a beach-ready wardrobe. The many TikTokers in the front row sure seemed enamored by it, no doubt drawn to its festival vibes. The brand recently appointed a new artistic director, though Marant remains in place, and new store openings are on the horizon.

Balmain Had a Supermodel Reunion for Olivier Rousteing's 10th Anniversary

Olivier Rousteing joined Balmain exactly a decade ago, the first Black man to helm a French fashion house. In a giant Paris arena last night, where thousands of guests came to see the designer's Spring 2022 fashion show (it was open the public as part of a two-day festival), a recording of Beyoncé spoke of that accomplishment and many more before the runway portion began, with models like Precious Lee and Jordan Barrett (and TikTok star Wisdom Kaye) drew the biggest cheers from the crowd. The final segment was a supermodel reunion, with names like Naomi Campbell, Natalia Vodianova and France's own Carla Bruni wore a rehashed capsule of past Balmain looks. Oh, and Doja Cat performed afterwards.

Courrèges Took Over a Forest for Spring 2022

Courtesy of Courreges

The settiing? A vast empty square field surrounded by.the woods, where models emerged from a distance like a scene from an unsettling Stephen King film. But what came out was anything but sinister — it was festival gear from the future: slick ponchos, vinyl clubwear, ribbed knit flared pants and baseball caps amounted to a collection that referenced plenty of archival '60s and '70s looks for a new generation.

Charles de Vilmorin Makes His Debut Show for Rochas

Photo via Getty

At just 24, Charles de Vilmorin has been entrusted with overseeing design for one of the oldest French fashion houses, Rochas. He made a splash last year when he was invited by the Chambre Syndicale to present his own collection (remotely) on the couture calendar. For his Rochas runway debut, he explored reinterpreted the brand's signature femininity and lightness with some more heavy touches like flame motifs and structural shapes. The abstract drawings recall the illustrations he does for his own label, and the clunky statement boots are sure to grace a pop star's feet in the coming weeks.

Acne Studios' Future-Historical Clash

Photo courtesy of Acne Studios

A hyper-futuristic attitude met handcrafted historical pieces of Acne Studios, which was all about contrasts: chiffon with leather; plaid with lingerie; toughened-up crochet and exploded corsets. "It's about a juxtaposition of grandeur with fierce energy," read the shownotes. The chunky platforms craze also showed no signs of slowing down — the brand out perhaps the most extreme version yet (though, thankfully, they're flat and not arched). They came in cream, tan and slime green versions. You just know Olivia Rodrigo's stylist is salivating over these pairs.

Dior References '60s Marc Bohan Era for Spring 2022

Photo via Getty

Dior turned its show venue into a '60s-era nightclub complete with colorful grid blocks that took up the whole set. The decade was also a source of inspiration for Maria Grazia Chiuri, particularly the (often overlooked) tenure of former creative director Marc Bohan. His 1961 "Slim Look" collection, whose importance is sometimes compared to Christian Dior's "New Look" in 1947, was referenced throughout the Spring 2022 outing, with mod silhouettes, A-line mini skirts and an geometric take on Bohan's signature bold hues (shades of raspberry, tangerine orange and canary yellow were given the color-blocking treatment).

Ottolinger Gives Distressed a New Meaning for Spring 2022

Courtesy of Ottolinger

Painted denim, hot pants, metallic suiting, glam-fi maxi coats and lava pink cocktail dresses — these were just some of the pieces that made up Ottolinger's futuristic Spring 2022 collection. Their signature deconstructed-sexy aesthetic was complemented by the artist Lucie Stahl, whose work was applied on the brand's mesh looks. Sinuous ribbed knits wrapped around the body while cutouts and distressed fabric gave the collection a worn-in and unfinished vibe.

Tinder Collaborates With Koché for Spring 2022

Courtesy of Koche

Koché's Spring 2022 runway show included a surprise collaboration with Tinder: 8 of the pieces, including dresses, hoodies, t-shirts, caps and bandanas, were inspired by the Parisian label's reinterpretation of Tinder branding. A key item of the capsule is a t-shirt dress entirely embroidered with beads in the colors of Tinder and embellished with ostrich feathers. It's available for purchase now on Koche.fr, with proceeds from the collection going to ModaFusion's Casa93 fashion school.

Kenneth Ize Spring 2022: Fringe, Color and Rich Patterns

Photography: Luca Tombolini

It was Kenneth Ize's first show of Paris Fashion Week, held at the Palais de Tokyo. A former LVMH Prize finalist who burst on the scene in February 2020 with his take on traditional Nigerian dress and textiles (Naomi Campbell closed his show), Ize's profile has only grown multifold despite the pandemic putting a hold on live shows again. This season was arguably his most assured and confident outing yet thanks to graphic color combinations that drew ooo's and ah's from even the most minimalist of onlookers. Sweeping fringes, clashing patterns and elegant wrap garments were both elevated and playful. (A live saxophone performance by UK artist cktrl provided the meditative soundtrack.) Kudos to Ize for continuing to put his country's decadent weaving techniques on the map.

Marine Serre Spring 2022 Film: Ostal 24

Hordes of eager fans pushed and shoved to get into Marine Serre's fashion presentation in the Marais district, where tables filled with cheese boards and snacks were scattered in a vast courtyard. After guests perused through a few of the SS22 looks on mannequins, everyone gathered to see Ostal 24, a 13-minute film showcasing Serre's new collection in a series of vignettes of everyday life. A performance by musician LA Timpa closed things out. As for the clothes? There were less moon monograms and more humble house fabrics repurposed into elevated pants, dresses and shirts — Serre's show notes said that 45% of materials were recycled and 45% were regenerated, making this her most sustainable offering yet.

ALAÏA's Paris Boutique Now Includes a Café and Treatment Center

Courtesy of ALAÏA

Pieter Mulier's first collection may not drop until December, but visitors at Alaïa's boutique on 5 Rue de Marignan can take part in some new offerings that are available now. The four-story space, which will house new art and design pieces, will also be home to a new café called Cafe da Rose located in the terrace in the inner courtyard serving Mediterranean cuisine with dishes from Portugal, Spain and Italy. (Azzedine was famous for hosting friends in his kitchen.) There's also a new treatment room led by Martine de Richeville, known for her regenerative and remodeling techniques inspired by oriental holistic points of view.

Top photo via Getty