The Buzziest Shows From Paris Fashion Week

Mugler Drama In Three Acts

Creative director Casey Cadwallader never shies away from theatrics, and this season was no different. The Fall 2024 collection was shown in three-acts in a school gymnasium, complete with curtain drops and lots of dry ice. Moving away from the now ubiquitous cutout bodysuits, Cadwallader displayed a more glamorous and dressed-up side of his Mugler woman.

The first act referenced the brand’s collections from the ‘80s with interpretations of sheer dresses, corsetry, tinsel gowns, leather armor, and stretch velvet. The second act included a collaboration with Canadian artist Ambera Wellmann, whose sexy paintings appeared on mini dresses and pants. And leather dominated the final, third act.

Of course, the cast was star-studded as Precious Lee, Paloma Elsesser, Kristen McMenamy, Eva Herzigova and Farida Khelfa all walked the runway. And when the show ended, a final curtain was dropped to reveal the entire team who worked behind the scenes.

Photography: Wojciech Christopher Nowak

Duran Lantink Hits the Slopes

A finalist in both 2019’s and this year’s LVMH Prize, Amsterdam and Paris-based designer Duran Lantink Fall 2024 collection was titled “Duran-ski.” Taking cues from the slopes and apres ski, the collection included tailoring mixed in with sweaters, long johns, wool socks and outerwear. But of course, it wasn’t your average gear. Leather, sheepskin and velvet were formed into exaggerated proportions, and ski sweaters were cut diagonally and stuffed with foam, turning classic pieces into something new and unknown.

Photos courtesy of Duran Lantink

Balenciaga Embraces the Distractions

Before presenting his Fall 2024 collection, Demna sent a voicemail before his show basically saying that creativity is the new form of luxury because it is so scarce. Then at the venue, Les Invalides, the show notes referenced how Demna is examining his body of work, hopes to reconnect with what fashion means to him and how that all relates to founder Critobal Balenciaga. But there are a lot of distractions these days, reflected in the runway’s set made of hundreds of screens while models wore slouchy tailoring, jeans and trenches as tops and a mish mash of popular Y2K pieces like camisoles made into new items.

Photos courtesy of Balenciaga

Alexander McQueen Presents a New Era

On the outskirts of Paris in an industrial warehouse, Seán McGirr debuted his first collection for Alexander McQueen. The new creative director was inspired by looking at “The Birds,” Lee McQueen’s Spring 1995 collection, although he hopes to bring a playfulness to the conceptual brand.

Knit turtlenecks were constructed in unbelievable shapes, leather trenches had exaggerated shoulders and cinched waists and were paired with leather fedoras in a sort of Slender Man-esque way, and there were also horse-hoof boots. It was all much more street and club wear than the brand has had before, but what direction McGirr is going remains to be seen.

Photos courtesy of Alexander McQueen

Loewe Takes In the Greenery

For its Fall 2024 collection, Loewe held its show in a space made to look like a maze and possibly an art gallery all at once. Wall and floors slathered in three shades of green referenced the greenery in American painter Albert York’s work, of which the collection was inspired with his idyllic landscapes and floral still lifes. That means there were a lot of flowing jersey dresses, tailoring, flower and vegetable prints, flowy balloon-y pants, fun little accessories and military leather coats thrown in the mix. There were even corset-like belts in the menswear with metal bulb embellishments that were fun and new.

Photos courtesy of Loewe

Vaquera Has Things to Say About Money

Designers Patric DiCaprio and Bryn Taubensee were thinking a lot about money. These days, currency is literally all about cash being exchanged for goods, but Vaquera sees wealth as artistic vision and going against the grain. They even made their own money prints, graffiti’d Andrew Jackson’s eyes, painted hearts over his face and put “FAKE” over the White House — all on a matching button-down and tie, a cummerbund and the 3-D bodice on a cocktail dress.

Photos courtesy of Vaquera