Paris Fashion Week is gearing up for its 10-day season starting on March 1, and this year’s event is showcasing 92 women’s ready-to-wear brands. Among the lineup are some renowned fashion powerhouses like Christian Dior, Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, who will be presenting their collections, with Louis Vuitton closing the season on March 10. While the shows will not have public attendees due to COVID-19 restrictions, around 10 houses will be live-streaming videos of their collections with models.
The organization behind Paris Fashion Week, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, has made significant updates to its website to cover the live runway shows on its calendar. In an innovative partnership, the Fédération has teamed up with TikTok to encourage users to create special looks for Paris Fashion Week and share them using a designated hashtag. They have also incorporated designer lookbooks into their platform and collaborated with London’s V&A museum, providing videos and articles from their Fashion in Motion program for the Insider magazine section.
One interesting aspect of this season is that many brands are presenting their collections after the official Paris Fashion Week season ends, demonstrating the fragmented nature of runway seasons in the fashion industry’s major capitals. For example, Tom Ford, the chairman of the CFDA, will debut his latest collection the day before Paris Fashion Week begins, and Sonia Rykiel will present a new studio-designed collection on February 28, just before the official calendar starts. Dior shifted its show to March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day, while Louis Vuitton postponed its show by one day.
The executives at the Fédération emphasize the importance of flexibility and inclusivity in light of the challenges posed by the pandemic. Despite the difficult circumstances, the number of participating houses remains consistent, with 92 brands taking part. The season will commence with a joint masters graduate show from the Institut Français de la Mode, signaling a strong commitment to establishing a fashion college in France that can compete with those in other fashion capitals.
While some established fashion houses like Comme des Garçons and Kering-owned brands Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and McQueen will not be showcasing their collections this season, the Fédération is determined to support emerging designers through initiatives such as its Paris showroom, Sphere, and show video productions. Independent designers are also receiving free hair and makeup services from L’Oréal. The executives at the Fédération have not made a final decision regarding live runway shows for the summer seasons, as it will depend on the prevailing sanitary conditions and government regulations.
Despite the challenges, Paris Fashion Week continues to attract a fresh wave of younger designers. This season, there are 11 newcomers participating, including Benjamin Benmoyal, Weinsanto, Cecilie Bahnsen, Rokh, and Wataru Tominaga. In addition, March will witness the debut of new designers at Chloé and Courrèges, further establishing Paris as a hub for ambitious and talented young designers.
Links:
1. [Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode](https://fhcm.paris/en)
2. [V&A Museum Fashion in Motion](https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/fashion-in-motion-preview)
