As always, this season was an interesting time in fashion with a lot of change, excitement and apprehension—and I’m here to help you unpack the mood with my recent observations at Paris Fashion Week.
I often say that what’s happening in the world will impact people’s emotions, how they dress and their general attitude towards fashion. The atmosphere of the fashion world right now is mixed, which goes hand-in-hand with the mixed feelings we all feel about where global events will turn this year.
I first observed a shift in the use of colour in recent collections. When consumers feel safe and confident, we see a kaleidoscope of colour and prints in bold silhouettes on the runway. Yet when people feel apprehensive, we return to minimalism and subdued dressing. Right now, there are mixed feelings because some designers are pushing the boundaries and increasing their creativity, while others are going more minimalist.
Yet moody aesthetics can also be shaped by a label’s geographical origins. Japan, for instance, is a bit of an island, so no matter what the rest of the fashion industry is doing, we still see bold statements at Sacai, Noir and Junya Watanabe (where creativity is at an all-time height). This season, Japanese designers had collections with many wearable pieces among the usual artistic and avant-garde silhouettes. Japan’s somewhat insular nature definitely lend a hand to more boldness in these designs.
For French and European brands, there are more mixed emotions of where the industry is heading. Some designers are pushing the envelope, while others are clearly holding back.
There were some big departures, with Dries Van Noten deciding to step down from his own brand. Fortunately, he’ll still oversee the overall direction, but his collections are now worth their weight in gold, becoming instant collectors’ pieces in the way of Phoebe Philo’s Celine.
The departure of Pier Paolo Piccioli from Valentino is also huge news! When I was in Paris, speculation was abuzz about who would succeed him and whether the new designer would be left-field or someone ‘safe'’ for the brand's fate. We now know, of course, that Alessandro Michele is taking the reigns at the French fashion house and while its exciting to see what he does, Piccioli-era designs will now too become instant collectors’ items.
At Parlour X, it’s an excellent time to invest in both brands. Piccioli stamped the rock star as a muse in the Valentino world and its uncertain where Michele will take it. By understanding that what both Van Noten and Picolli produced is now collectable, you elevate your usual wardrobe updates to wised up investments.Many other brands have (or will soon) announced new creative directors, so seeing where this takes fashion will be interesting - Lanvin being one. One of the most exciting showcases at Paris Fashion Week was the appointment of the new creative director at Chloe, Chemena Kamali. Kamali has worked on and off at Chloe with Stella McCartney AND Phoebe Philo, so she gets the quintessential essence of Chloe. On the runway, we saw the brand revived, with everyone saying that boho is back. The collection was voted by Vogue and many other prestigious publications as being the number-one show of the season!
The fashion industry was excited because bohemian dressing feels dreamy, free, and liberating. Given what's going on globally, people crave that sentiment at the moment. This collection is a great reset to fashion after a long period of minimalism. Consumers yearn for that femininity, and Kamali’s first collection was so quintessentially Chloe that everyone was energised for what’s to come. Her next few collections will also be ones to watch because they will have her true aesthetic stamp and the legacy of what she brings to Chloe.
Parlour X also welcomes The Row this season, which is so exciting because there’s such a following for The Row and their iconic bags, jeans and trousers.
Clients who wear The Row swear by their cut, and we can see its popularity by the vast influx of demand through our doors. I loved going to their showroom appointments and the show in Paris. The collection is presented very beautifully, and despite their simple lines, The Row has a very strong signature - which is something I seek out when buying for our clients.
Toteme is another great brand to watch out for. We're about to get the sense that it’s like a little sister of The Row, at least from a pricing standpoint. It’s just a beautiful product and a beautiful brand. Imagine a Scandi minimalist aesthetic but with a bit of a twist. Toteme maintains an exclusive price point, but not at the often astronomical level of other luxury brands.
Finally, some of the shows that I loved best at Fashion Week won’t surprise you: Chloe was a real hit and Comme Des Garcons and Junya are always my favourites. Of course, I also enjoyed the Dries show. At the time, we didn't know of his departure for sure, but even with the uncertainty of what was to come, it was a gorgeous collection. I also loved Rabbane - and yes, we're now calling it Rabbane instead of Paco!
It was a great show that was very much about the styling, great mix-and-matching and putting styles together that juxtapose - but still work. And as you know, I love dressing like that! I love fashion when it's more about the styling over a complete ‘look’. It means you can put a lot of creativity into those looks and make a piece your own.
Coming back from a Paris trip always makes me want to nudge you to make bolder decisions with your style, to mix up a stripe with a check or a floral. So before you feel apprehensive to try a certain look, have a play and put it all together. Our styling team at Parlour X are excellent at facilitating the experience and will delight in creating fresh and innovative looks that speak to your individual expression. Complete with a great haircut and a big, confident smile that allows your uniqueness to shine through IS to me, true fashion.
** Eva Galambos recently visited Paris Fashion Week for Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 on a buying trip for Parlour X.
