Paris Fashion Week Review: All Our Favourite Looks From The French Capital

The fourth stop on the autumn fashion circuit, Paris Fashion Week is often when the themes percolating each season are crystallised; practical dressing, quiet luxury and swing away from streetwear have all become apparent these past weeks.

Adding to that, the tensions in Europe impact designer output, and all this could be seen in the serious, sober collections on show in the French capital. A lot of skirt suits, wide shoulders, powerful coats; less colour, fewer logos.

That said, there were a lot of great ideas — especially for getting dressed — and some inspiring collections. Here’s what caught our attention.

Miu Miu, Look 50

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — a prim look that looks like it’s been dragged out of bed is a winning formula. This feels very much familiar to the brand’s unruly DNA and I’m here for an uppity brown cardigan. Even better worn by the brilliant Ethel Cain. — Dan Ahwa, fashion and creative director

Dior, Look 6

A really nice turn from Maria Grazia Chiuri this season, inspired by Catherine Dior, Edith Piaf and Juliette Gréco. Dior doesn’t always speak to me, but this collection resonated: a lot of skirt suits, sobriety and practical garb. I deeply appreciated the rumpled, wrinkle effect on many of the garments — like this great houndstooth skirt suit — which added a sense of depth and humanity to the luxury offering on show. The layers in this look are great and wearable, with different jacket lengths adding some nice interest. I also like the socks and mary janes; the shoes remind me of the style by Alexander McQueen (I think) that Kate Moss thrashed in the 90s. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Miu Miu, Look 7

I’m loving this barely there look for Miu Miu. It’s a little less polished than we have seen before. With Miuccia Prada herself stating she would go out in panties if she was younger, makes me remember fashion is not always that serious. — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

Dries Van Noten, Look 28

No one does embellishment quite like Dries Van Noten, excelling both a technical angle and a stylistic vantage. This is a great collection, and this look is particularly captivating. The patchwork elements not only provide rich visual interest, they also demonstrate how this kind of method (seen elsewhere in the collection, including some great knits) can elevate remnants and the ideology of upcycling to something very elegant. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Yohji Yamamoto, Look 42

You know this isn’t just any black dress. With so many pioneering designers passing away recently, I can only hope that we continue to appreciate Yohji’s work while he’s still with us, hands-on and fiercely independent to the end. This elegant number with its hand-stitched embellishment is a standout, and again the type of clothing that forever look great with a nice flat shoe. — Dan Ahwa, fashion and creative director

I have been a huuuge fan of designer Rok Hwang’s brand Rokh since meeting him in Paris many moons ago. The functional and sophisticated pieces are a modern woman’s dream. His tailoring is exceptional and cool, not your classic seen-that-done-that style. Every piece has more than one element of surprise, in particular, I love this look with the softly tailored dress with a flowing train and the juxtaposition of the structured oversized shirt. — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

Ester Manas, Look 12

Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre, who founded this label in 2019, clearly enjoy dressing and revealing the body — a key part of their praxis — and this frothy collection brought some much-needed romance and fun to what was a rather serious Paris Fashion Week. That’s not to say the brand’s work is frivolous, far from it, and its casting is particularly significant given the frustratingly narrow (literally) presentation of figures in the French capital — an area where it, and Milan, lag behind the likes of London. This look would be fabulous for a party, while the lighter-hued iterations wouldn’t go amiss for a tropical elopement. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Chloe, Look 12

Inspired in part by the Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi, designer Gabriela Hearst presented this singular multi-coloured dress on the runway and although simple in its shape, I like the patchwork medley of storytelling going on here. Again, kudos to the stylist for ensuring this piece does all the work. — Dan Ahwa, fashion and creative director

Victoria Beckham, Look 3

When you can’t decide your vibe so you go with them all. This dress reminded me of my chaotic collaging days. A bit of this and that, but ultimately it comes together to make a masterpiece. I love an unhinged moment from VB. — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

READ: All Our Favourite Looks From London Fashion Week

Miu Miu, Look 1

I love this (worn by Mia Goth). It’s simple, and though seemingly bookish (other iterations of this ensemble included round glasses too) a closer look reveals friction: messy hair, hosiery waistbands hiked up and over knitwear. As someone who always looks slightly messy, while still appreciating prep and polish, this gives me motivation to accept both. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Chanel, Look 29

An honourable mention for the French fashion house. There wasn’t a look that necessarily overwhelmed me but with the constant drawing of attention to large gestures at other shows, this quiet exchange pleased me. The simplicity of this look with its contrasting textures caught my eye. Chic, not over the top, and classic. — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

The Row, Look 11

Tasteful and chic — we get it, The Row is the fashion purist’s wet dream. Its resort showcase in the city of lights felt like the perfect meeting point of when New York meets Paris. As a stylist, I appreciate the little details that make a look feel personal, and the sweater-scarf is a lovely touch. — Dan Ahwa, fashion and creative director

Saint Laurent, Look 30

While the broad-shouldered skirt suits that made up much of Anthony Vaccarello’s collection garnered a lot of attention — and rightly so, they were sensational, not to mention a running theme on Paris runways as designers sought to exude strength in the shadow of economic and social stress — I keep coming back to this look. The dramatic sweep of a tweed wool shawl, secured by a gleaming scarf ring is both powerful and coddling (a comforting combination) and compliments the supple leather of the jacket and skirt underneath. Further touches of gold, bangles and metal-framed eyewear, add to the look. While the sheer hosiery and pumps reinforce the 1980s elegance that underpinned the whole show. It’s all very grown up, serious, glamorous; for a lovely and unexpected touch — one to try at home perhaps — each look was also paired with a gold anklet. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Valentino, Look 20

Valentino made schoolgirl drama come alive. Gossip Girl’s Serena, Blair and Jenny would be shaking in their boots with this collection. — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant

Louis Vuitton, Look 25

Often one for visionary, futuristic work, this season Nicolas Ghesquière said he was exploring the idea of French wardrobes. It’s interesting to see such a pedestrian topic executed by his innovative design team. The details and finishing were quite beautiful — some pinstripes were hand-painted — and the embellishment here is gorgeous. I like how it’s paired with the long, thick scarf (many looks were) which is an easy effect to approximate without a luxury price tag. Another textural layer to this look is the leather trousers, something on my list for autumn. — Emma Gleason, commercial editor

Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, Look 23

A celebration as much as it was a tribute, Andreas’ typically magpie collection was a touching ode to the late and great Dame Vivienne Westwood. This medley of fabrics and play on proportion reminds me of those early Buffalo Girl collections from the early 80s, with its unapologetic shapes and organic textures. — Dan Ahwa, fashion and creative director