Paris Fashion Week Was An Ode To Personal Style

Paris Fashion Week is always a whirlwind of buzzy moments and industry news, but this season it felt especially busy and unpredictable. There was the highly anticipated runway debuts of Seán McGirr for McQueen — who stepped in after Sarah Burton’s 13 year run — and Chemena Kamali at Chloé, who created quite the stir by brilliantly placing the label’s iconic wooden wedges on nearly every VIP sitting front row. (Jerry Hall, clad in tall tan boots, was the one hold out.) Countless pictures of a Victoria Beckham, on crutches after a metatarsal injury and still chic as ever, made the rounds on social media, as did canny comparisons of Kate Moss look-a-like Denise Ohnona, who made a head-turning appearance at Marine Serre.

Really, if there was any thorough line to what happened at the Fall/Winter 2024 shows, it would be the trends, which seemed to delicately ride the line between timeless and utterly forward-thinking. With an emphasis on open-to-interpretation wardrobe-building pieces, it seems that embracing one’s individual style is what’s en vogue at the moment, however that may look for you.

Say you’ve been intrigued by the recent attention to sartorial opulence and statement dressing on Instagram and TikTok. A new crop of lavishly rendered fur coats (a key part of Chloé’s apparent campaign to bring back “boho chic”) and flirty leopard print pieces (a cornerstone of the McQueen and Balenciaga collections) are likely to speak to you. And if you’re interested in the classics but still want to stand out, perhaps the graffiti-splattered neutrals at Dior or Stella McCartney’s strong-shoulder black jackets will be more your speed. Meanwhile, Miu Miu is sure to make all the skinny jean stans out there feel quite vindicated with its selection of super-slim cut stovepipe denim.

More on these key catwalk themes ahead, along with more closet-defining trends for next autumn.

Haute Hoods

Head coverings of all sorts have emerged as a driving force this fashion month (see: the jaunty feather caps at Prada and Jil Sander’s black swim bonnets), but the labels in the City of Lights seemed most fixated on sleek balaclava-like silhouettes. At Courrèges and Balmain, the accent was coupled with equally streamlined suiting; Rick Owens, on the other hand, used the design detail to make a nubby teal cape more cozy.

Plush Life

If there was any doubt that fur in general has been creeping back into the fashion zeitgeist, mega-houses like Givenchy, Saint Laurent, and Chloé put that question to bed with delightfully fluffy outerwear. And while there’s plenty of black and tan options on tap, why not go for a colorful or silver-grey topper? If you’re going to stand out anyways, you might as well own it.

Will-O’-The-Wisp

Call it the Prada effect: Following the ethereal trailing fabric seen throughout the Italian giant’s Spring 2024 offerings, other creatives have been experimenting with floaty fabric. At Louis Vuitton that meant a billowing lightweight train peeking beneath a structured jacket; Undercover, on the other hand, layered gauzy strips alongside sequins and knitwear. And Rabanne leaned hard into the sarong skirt, complete with silky material draping to one side.

Pale Fire

While pastels certainly are having a moment this spring, it feels particularly notable to see the color scheme poised to stick through pumpkin spice season. Aläia (who showed off-calendar in January) and Loewe both offered up black tie dresses in nonpareil tones — perfect for those early September weddings. And Hermès went for butter yellow separates that you can easily break up and wear with caramel and tan when the temperatures drop.

Something Fierce

Leopard print is back on the prowl. And because the motif makes such a statement, designers seem to be suggesting you fully commit to the look with a wild cat spot dress — luckily McQueen, Balenciaga, and Isabel Marant all had fabulous ones.

In The Fold

Draped and gathered dresses may often look strangely puckered on a hanger, but — as seen at Victoria Beckham, Dries Van Noten, and Rohk — skillfully ruched elements have a way of accentuating one’s figure in the best possible way. Have at least one on hand for the kind of see-and-be-seen party where a basic shift just won’t do.

Cool Girl Khaki

Proof that beige can be far from predictable: a silver-adorned and puff-sleeve trench at Cecilie Bahnsen (the embellished dress certainly helped, too), Sacai’s tan blazer dress and matching thigh-high boots, and an artfully painted ecru suit at Dior.

All The Right Angles

In contrast to the softer, sloped shoulder silhouettes spotted in Milan, Paris leaned into power jackets with linebacker-like proportions. At Valentino, the look was more subtle, just a few sharp angles that slightly extended outside the décolleté line. Rabanne and Stella McCartney however, both went for more exaggerated shapes that jutted outwards from the top and fell in soft drapes around the body.

Double — & Triple —Denim

Rare was the case this week that a pair of jeans was shown without a coordinating jacket or shirt (or both). Over at Chanel, the pieces were loose and relaxed, reflecting the show’s easy-breezy sensibility. Schiaparelli also went for slouchy fit styles albeit in more polished and crisp cuts. And if you’re looking for something more fitted? Consider Miu Miu’s (somewhat controversial) low rise stovepipes and matching belly-baring jacket.