Paris Fashion Week 2014 showed some of the most brilliant, humorous and inspired clothes of the entire fashion season. What appeared throughout Paris Fashion Week was a juxtaposition of fun, sassy and instantly covetable fashion with more classic, timeless and quality moments. However, whatever side of the style spectrum you fall on, one thing is certain- designers are in tune to the fact that fashion should be wearable in daily lives, particularly those trips to the supermarkets. Cue Chanel.
Karl Lagerfeld’s, Chanel was wonderful and show stopping. Lagerfeld turned the Grand Palais into a lavishly stocked, exclusively Chanel branded supermarket. Tea, coffee, spreads, treats and even hardwares, this supermarket had it all and all was Chanel. It’s the actual dream and we are jealous of it’s invite only audience. The show is a demonstration of our consumerist times. Women are now more likely to spend just as much time at the supermarket than at fancy galas and events. Looks were sporty and casual, with lace up sneakers and boots. Models wore slim fit track pants, crop tops, tweed leggings and oversized boucle overcoats. Waists were comfortable and relaxed. Colours were loud, flamboyant but also very feminine. Yet, all pieces were still made with Chanel’s custom craftsmanship and care. Even the shopping baskets were morphed into classic Chanel through the chain handbag detailing.
The husband and wife model duo was a standout. The wife dressed in a classic pink, tweed matching skirt suit and the husband a black suit and tie. The look showed how relevant Largerfeld is with this new collection. Fashion needs to be transferable from one event or place to another. One needs to be able to dash into the supermarket in something practical that also happens to be Chanel. Lagerfeld says, “I like fashion to be part of daily life, not cut away from life.”
Spotted front row was Channel ambassador actress Keira Knightley and signer Rihanna who was on hand to support gal pal British supermodel Cara Delevingne. Kendall Jenner cemented her position as a model on the rise, walking the Channel emblazoned, product lined runway, after appearing on the catwalk for Marc Jacobs and Givenchy.
For more classic and elegant shows, we turn our eyes to Louis Vuitton and Hermes. At Nicolas Ghesquiere’s first Louis Vuitton show, audiences were graced with a 60’s mod mood. The woman of the catwalk was chic and modern. There were many separates throughout the show that suggested an inspiration from street style. Features included, A-line skirts, shift dresses, waist-cinching skirt and pant heights, geometric prints, lovely collars and knee high, midi heel riding boots. There was also timeless leather and tweed. The impression was sporty and easy to wear 60’s fashion. Flippy skirts were paired with leather jackets and streamlined leather coats with bold collar detailing were paired with winter shifts. The Louis Vuitton bag was feminine with a twist- bowling bags and boxy designs matched perfectly to Ghesquiere’s 60’s swing.
Another fashion house that created pieces to invest in was Hermes. Sleek, simple and tailored pieces came down the runway on the week’s final day. With a crisp colour palette of nudes, dove greys and icy whites, cocoon coats with oversized collars stood out. The coats and two-piece suits created a natural and clean look. Like Chanel, coats could easily be taken from casual days to glittering nights. The fabrics used fit the body perfectly. Baby pink and caramel added a beautiful softness to the show. Hermes gave us a winter wonderland.
Every show in Paris epitomized what fashion truly means- that being that fashion means something different to everyone. To some it is about creating beautiful pieces, which will stay relevant and beautiful for an eternity. For others it’s about fun and doing what feels fashionable and stylish in the moment. In my mind, this winter season a girl needs a bit of both!
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