Here's the Paris FW 2024 recap you asked for

‍

Now that the fashion month is over we finally have some time to chat about this infamous Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2024. Don’t miss the list of trends at the end!

‍

When it comes to fashion weeks, it really doesn't get any bigger or more prestigious than Paris Fashion Week. Essential and refined collections make simplicity the strong point of this Spring/Summer 2024 season, which welcomes the taste of “normality”.

The aim this year is to create a new sense of fashion made of substance, sartorial perfection, experimentation and essentiality. The key point is to follow the path of a minimalist view which also demands freedom. No doubt that this year the catwalk has become a strong and powerful symbol of change and social struggle. We must not forget that fashion is the clearest mirror of our society and that’s why we must take seriously the signals that clothes send us.

Maria Grazia Chiuri, proclaimed feminist, understood the assignment by being the leading supporter of the women abuse movement. This season, Dior opened its show by exposing on the runway “My body is not a product” statement, which claims the women's right to be safe in their own skin no matter what they are wearing. Another brand that rewarded the female strong figure was Saint Laurent. While the Dior woman wears a triumph of black&white, lace and ample pleated skirts, Vaccarello chose to dress his models in workwear clothes to emphasize the figure of the female pilot and their androgyny – as seen also in Maison Margiela –. The use of tracksuits, tailored cuts and beige monochrome communicate strength and stubbornness for a high-impact result.

Another sensitive issue was also addressed on the catwalk: climate change and pollution. Unfortunately, the fashion system is one of the most polluting and harmful to the environment, and because of that in the last few years there’s been a strong desire to make significant changes in the production of garments by trying to make them more sustainable. We can see this noble desire in Stella McCartney who does not betray her green soul by using the first luxury garments in kelsun – yarn based on seaweed –, viscose, which does not damage the environment, GOTS certified cotton and silk – as well as linen–, recycled nylon and polyester.

Also Chloè has done an amazing job for the climate change issue. In the last three collections, the brand has focused on a specific solution to climate activism: Regeneration – Autumn Winter 2022 –, Clean Energy – Spring Summer 2023 – and Women's Leadership – Autumn Winter 2023 –. This year the topic evolves around the consciousness issue. This was summed up by finding inspiration in flower’s textures and silhouettes. The geometric shape of the flowers informs the designs, as the curved seams, balloon sleeves and circular cutouts mirror floral motifs.

Last but not least, Balenciaga has also made an extensive use of upcycled items. Demna, after last year’s scandal, decided to revisit some of the brand's cult pieces, including sweatshirts, oversized bomber jackets and sneakers.

Valentino certainly did not go unnoticed with his essential chicness. Pierpaolo Piccioli went for a macramé work in a macro version that recalls the kalathos and dresses with capes that recall Greek goddesses with their white cut out dresses, structured blazers and fluid skirts. The icing on the cake was FKA twigs breathtaking performance at the end of the show. The reference to art and history was not missing in Schiaparelli's show either where we found a sensual and feisty woman. We saw Daniel Roseberry’s sneakers with trompe l'oeil tips, enormous jewels reproducing lobsters and crabs – inspired by Salvador Dalì –, bullfighter jackets and sequin-studded swimsuits. A journey between land and sea, which ended with Kendall Jenner walking in trompe l'oeil Toe pumps and a dress made of red nail tips.

This Paris Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2024 prefers to let the body do the talking.

In fact this year a strong importance is given to the anatomy of bodies. Sarah Burton and Casey Cadwallader surely know something about it. Burton with her "Anatomy II" wanted to celebrate the legacy of the founder Lee Alexander McQueen whose desire was always to empower women. This Alexander McQueen collection was inspired by the female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I, the blood-red rose and Magdalena Abakanowicz, a transgressive and highly creative artist who refused to compromise her vision. A lot of roses and red on that catwalk, for sure. When we thought we had reached the pinnacle, Naomi Campell walked down the runway in all her majesty. This show was also a very emotional one. After 13 years at the helm, the designer presented her latest collection for Alexander McQueen and, vibing on Heroes by David Bowie, Burton greeted the guests and the Maison who were crying their eyes out.

Another unforgettable and tearful show was offered by the house of Mugler. As we all know, last year we said goodbye to the iconic founder, Thierry Mugler. This year Casey Cadwallader wanted to pay him an homage by recreating with this collection all the iconicity and hype that Mugler has always had in its DNA for years. Some of the dresses were inspired by the haute couture creations that Thierry created in the ‘90 as an ode to the power of women and legendary anatomical constructions enhanced by the iconic jackets with boned corsets. Cadwallader with this collection brings to life an enchanting beauty of marine life – as seen also in Schiaparelli –, evident in the sartorial designs, speckled prints, and gradient colors. Fluid materials such as jersey and chiffon are heavily utilized to mirror the free-flowing movements – as seen also in Issey Miyake who explores the concept of fluidity, encapsulating elements of nature moving in fluid motion – .No doubt that with Mugler, the theatricality is always intelligent, provocative, and most importantly, empowering.

During this Paris Fashion Week S/S 2024 we understood that “less is more” is not only a statement but a way of living.

If you’re asking yourself which trends went big on the runway, here you have it:

‍‍

Micro - We told you less is more