Paris week is the final week of fashion month, and one of the most iconic fashion events that occurs every year. Models, fans, celebrities and designers travel around the world to watch new fashion collections debut and determine trends for the season. Paris is known as the cradle of the fashion industry, and places an emphasis on tradition and history. This year several trends have emerged, such as smaller silhouettes, sheer fabrics and concepts centering around business casual. Collectively, it was a strong finish for high fashion, featuring brands like Chanel, Miu Miu, Givenchy and Dior. I will be reviewing each brand and their looks for this season.

Chanel — ★★☆☆☆

Chanel excelled as a major part of Margot Robbie’s wardrobe in Barbie, but the looks of this collection fell flat. The brand opted to stick with its classic colors of pink, black and white in addition to many pastel shades, and paired them with sleek, form-fitting silhouettes. I really enjoyed seeing these staples of Chanel return to the runway. However, a major issue I had with this collection was the use of mismatched prints. Given the cultivated personality of the brand, and the other elements used in the collection, the mismatched fabrics came across as haphazard and awkward, rather than edgy and modern. Overall, while there were aspects I enjoyed, Chanel needed to pick a stronger narrative to make the designs work.

Miu Miu — ★★★☆☆

Miu Miu had a clear vision established, based on a combination of nautical clothing and business casual. However, the execution of these looks were subpar in some areas, such as the motif of swim trunks peeking out of pants —  it generally clashed with the rest of the outfit. Opposite to Chanel, Miu Miu used navy blue, orange, and various shades of brown, but still kept a minimalist frame like most designs this week. Even though some looks had colors that clashed , I enjoyed the varying texture and experimentation of different fabrics used throughout the show, in addition to the appearance of Gigi Hadid in one of my favorite coats of the season.

Givenchy — ★★★★★

Givenchy’s collection was my personal favorite of Paris fashion week, even though I had no major expectations for it. While the brand has always been built upon remaining elegant and timeless, they still excelled in creating something exciting and relevant. This womenswear collection showcased the use of neutrals with occasional pops of red, accompanied by floral motifs and sheer fabrics. One of the things I love most about this show is just how well it meshes with the Parisian backdrop and, as a result, I’m excited about what they decide to do next.

Dior — ★★★★☆

I enjoyed Dior’s show, titled “Not Her,” for reasons beyond the actual clothes. The backdrop of the show featured feminist commentary on the female experience in fuschia and yellow, but contrasted the background with models wearing exclusively black and white clothes. A common theme seemed to be mimicking the suits and formal wear worn by men in the office. In addition, the looks drew clear inspiration from past decades, especially the 60s with psychedelic prints and cat eye sunglasses. Even though the theme and aesthetics were great, there were still some major issues. The main theme being feminism and not appealing to the male gaze, yet all of the models who walked were ultra thin, able-bodied and in most cases, light-skinned. In coming years, I hope to see more sizes, shades, and body types included in fashion.

Overall, Paris fashion week gave a strong finish to fashion month, showcasing how designers are constantly trying to innovate looks in a hypercompetitive environment. I enjoyed how the designers experimented with sheer fabrics and unique patterns throughout the week, and how it was reflected by the artistic streetstyle of the city. In addition, I was so happy to see Gigi Hadid model for two different fashion houses. In the future, I hope to see more diversity with models, as well as more cohesiveness with certain collections. Beyond that, Paris fashion week delivered what it needed to and I’m excited for next year. 

Paris Fashion week 2023: ★★★☆☆