by Gossip is always currency during fashion week, but this season in Paris insider whisperings hit a fever pitch.
Before the spring/summer 25 shows started, designer musical chairs were on everyone’s lips. There were debuts (notably, Alessandro Michele’s Valentino show), recent announcements (Sarah Burton is going to Givenchy) and upcoming news (Is Pierpaolo Piccioli going to Fendi? It depends who you talk to lastly). It was all overanalyzed over countless martinis in the dark lair of the Hotel Costes bar.
Any talk of industry powerhouses included Jonathan Anderson, the jewel in LVMH’s crown and the man who turned Spanish label Loewe into a billion-pound billionaire. This season was the house’s tenth anniversary, which it decided to tackle with stylish restraint rather than overtly celebrate.
Ironically, despite the chatter around him, his SS25 season tried to answer the question: what happens when one takes away all the noise? He presented his vision in the round, in a bleached white space across the motte at the Château de Vincennes. In the center was a small sculpture of Tracey Emin’s bird, which was centrally located, and around her Anderson proved, once again, that the formula he has created for 10 years at the company is extremely effective and a model for other prestigious brands.
It is forensic in its approach. Take this season’s outfit, with their oversized, oversized sleeveless jacket and leg-hugging trousers that come in cool stone, black and navy. “They’re really a strange achievement, because I don’t think Loewe has been very good at tailoring for a long time,” he said after the show. “We have created a kind of signature. How do you make your own clothes? It’s about changing the perception.” It was a flowing, sculptural gown that made the biggest impact on the runway, however, as Anderson gave the spring summer floral dress its raw treatment. Impressionist flowers were printed on delicate silk and, using a thin chain weight system, bulged out in different directions.
It was meant to reduce the American pre-war crinoline dresses to “thread”. They’ll hit the red carpet – created by The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri who wore one the following night at the stunning Business of Fashion gala at the Shangri-La, where she explained that they’re light as a feather to wear (if a little practical for tight spaces ). Side note: the orchestrations of Bach, Mozart and Van Gogh’s sunflowers were also excellent. He had feathers, but you can have yours from Uniqlo next spring.
McQueen was later surprised by another Irish designer, Seán McGirr. Although his February debut was widely panned, Saturday’s show felt like a challenging step forward. At the great École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, a great sight to behold. Tiles were broken to reveal a steel plate silver runway dug out trench style through the center of the hall. It was a dramatic backdrop for a collection which, in true McQueen style, looked to the Celtic figure of the banshee for inspiration (which the late Lee McQueen did for his autumn/winter 1994 collection). So, points for originality – not many, although he explains: “It’s also a story I grew up with, it feels very personal to me, something I remember my mother talking about in Ireland, at describe the cry of this lonely person. .”
And kudos are certainly deserved for a much more elevated set of looks, which opened with Elizabethan ruff collars and wide tailored jackets that were complicated to look shaved, and ended in dramatic fashion: a crystal banshee figure, covered in toe in georgette. embroidered with chains and fine silver bullion. The most important thing was to stop being afraid of McQueen’s now classic Nineties style. You have seven months to find a sparkly gold blazer.
Other London brands to make a decadent splash included Victoria Beckham, always one to put on a show – however, it felt like extra effort had been made this season. Probably because the camera crews for her upcoming Netflix documentary were on hand. A large tent had been erected at the Château de Bagatelle. With fairy lights draped over it, and perched amongst the tall buildings, it felt like a Saltburn-style bash. She translated her collection into a conversation about “formality and exposure”, she read show notes, which meant a more risqué choice than expected from VB. Sculptural, vacuum-wrapped tops looked on the body and were shaped into stiff curves, while leotards were cut high on the hips (and were popular in general this season, consider pairing with jeans come months warmer) although the third part was slashed fits. out of them.
Stella McCartney helped tie the season with a Monday morning show, before Coperni brought the fashion set to Disneyland. McCartney took the moment, which played out with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, as an opportunity to continue his mission, trying to reduce environmental destruction. Caps on the seats read, “About F***ing Time!”, and on the catwalk, ready-to-wear designs were innovated with 91 percent conscious materials (think bags made from apple waste, fungi and cane sugar derivatives ). A proclamation read by Helen Mirren kicked off the proceedings, big boxy blazers proved that the office uniform look isn’t going anywhere – brace yourself – but there were some great moments including puffball mini dresses and tops in turquoise and beige, which she describes as “cloud knits”, which put smiles on faces.
And there were no frowns at Christian Louboutin’s stunning display of campness, either, when he took charge of the massive art deco Piscine Molitor and outfitted France’s artistic Olympic swimming team in his new red bottom “Miss Z” shoes for a show unlike any other this season. As “firemen” strode poles, and synchronized swimmers spun around in their heels, everyone forgot themselves for a moment.
Out in the rain, however, it was back to normal service. “Well, I heard John Galliano is going to Chanel,” someone said. “Really!?” came the scream back.
