Fashion editor-at-large and stylist Sofia Achaval de Montaigu takes us front row for a fourth installment of her Paris Fashion Week Diary. Get an inside look at Serge Ruffieux’s show for Carven, Isabel Marant‘s big news, and Ines de la Fressange’s showing at the Ritz. Plus! Brian Atwood borrows a few gems from Beyoncé.
Carven
I went to Carven’s fashion show at the Faculté de Jussieu. I arrived a half hour late because there was a lot of traffic, but luckily the show had not started yet. I got in and was ushered to my seat. Every fashion editor was there. I said hello to Carine Roitfeld and then I sat down.
It was beautiful. The decor included some big square panels in the colors of the collection and a green moquette that gave the feeling of being outdoors. The music was really fun and sounded like a summer remix of different ’70s songs.
“With her fluid and architectural silhouette, her taste for the quaint, her love of mixed influences, her boldness and her freedom, the modern-day Parisienne is the embodiment of all my imaginary travels,” said creative director Serge Ruffieux in the show notes.
The models wore little to no makeup and undone hair. The collection included quilted hunting jackets and updated safari jackets as well as loose parachute dresses, embroidered skirts, smocked blouses, and polos. My favorite pieces were two dresses in green and red because of their design, color, and the drape. But above all, what caught my attention most were the shoes. They were the most original and beautiful pieces of Carven’s collection. They were all flats: some closed-toe with hand-painted patterns in the front and then there were some made of leather in different colors with raffia fringes.
Isabel Marant
Isabel Marant’s fashion was nothing if not spectacular, from the setting by Alex de Betak to the location in the Place Colette in Palais Royale, one of my favorite spots in Paris. The setting included flashing white lights in what seemed like a construction site with steel fences. We sat in long black benches and waited for the show to start.
The first one to walk down the runway was Kaia Gerber in a stunning ensemble made of a white top with balloon sleeves, baggy pants and high-heeled sandals. The first outfits were all white and with ruffles, after which came shades of fuchsia, metallics, and ending with blacks. Some of the looks combined bodysuits with baggy pants or long windbreaker jackets. The looks were a mix between sporty chic and effortless cool.
Apart from Gerber, there were other top models like Gigi Hadid and Mica Argañaraz. Isabel Marant understands the modern girl wants to feel sexy, cool and chic, and the clothes combined with the modern percussion techno music radiated energy.
My favorite looks included the first outfits with ruffles in white and the metallic pants. I also liked the color block in fuchsia and the red sweater and hot pants look. But the big news this season was that Isabel Marant launched menswear on the runway for the first time.
We all definitely want to be a part of Isabel Marant’s world.
Brian Atwood
Today I went to the press preview for Brian Atwood’s latest collection. It was held in the Salon des Batailles at the Hôtel de Crillon, an amazing location. Atwood’s collection is very colorful with details like fringes, pom-poms. The most fun thing about the show was when three of Beyoncé’s back dancers appeared dancing to the song “Too Funky” by George Michael in custom-made shoes. The dancers came and danced around every half hour. My favorite shoes were a pair of colorful satin ballerinas that came in bright fuchsia, green, and purple and a pair of knee-high gladiator sandals in white—instead of the typical leather strips, they had flowers in leather.
Ines De La Fressange
Ines de la Fressange showed in the Salon de Gramont of the Ritz Hôtel. The Salon had a view of the Ritz’s interior garden—a very special place with lots of flowers. It was the perfect venue. Ines loved my orange coat so she showed me the section of the line that is all in fuchsia and orange. What I actually liked most about that part was a Vichy shirt in white and red.
It was a really magical collection and it was the personification of Ines. I wanted to buy and wear every garment. Everything was displayed in an organic way as though she had just come home to it. I really loved the handbags, which were made of leather in brown, blue and other colors like gold. They were classic and timeless. And the jeans had red embroidery on the inside, which was a nice detail, and a trench had some phrases and trees among other drawings embroidered.
