Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022 Brings Out Innovation and Humor
From risque collaborations to decadent water features and plane landings, Paris runways were home to all sorts of theatrics this fashion week.
Paris Fashion Week is typically a glamorous affair. How could it not be, under the light of the Eiffel Tower and decades of fantastical fashion shows? This year, out from under the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic, many designers took the opportunity to try something new, or to stage theatrics that made up for a year of virtual offerings.
Plane landings, underwater extravaganzas, and human-sized boardgames: the whimsical ideas of designers were in no short supply. Not lost in the dramatics, however, were some truly inspired garments. A few leaned into the opportunity to redefine going-out attire. Ready-to-wear has taken on new life in a city that is slowly being nursed back to its full spirits. Check out our personal highlights from Paris Fashion Week below.
Models Walk Along a Board Game at Dior
For her spring offering, Maria Grazia Chiuri went back to the '60s. Her models traversed a board game setup in mod mini dresses and various shades of neon. The elaborate floor design was put together by Anna Paparatti, an Italian pop artist who was quite influential during the target decade. As models entered one by one, a pre-set horde moved rhythmically one square to the right. Though the looks took inspiration from the Dior archive, the resulting collection will surely be a hit with nostalgic modern audiences.
Saint Laurent Walks Under a Waterfall
When you think of the Saint Laurent woman, who is she? That girl is slinky, well-dressed, lurking around the streets of Paris, draped in a luxury fabric. After having to keep her in lockdown during the pandemic, the brand was all too ready to put her back where she belonged: under the glow of the Eiffel Tower. For its spring collection, Saint Laurent placed its runway in view of that iconic building, as well as an enormous light and water structure. For the final walk-through, a waterfall rained down upon the models and audience alike.
Botter Goes All the Way Underwater
Botter's spring runway show, aptly titled "Global Warning," took place in a mystic, if not slightly spooky, underwater landscape. The brand has long been a champion of oceanic activism and kept that momentum going in their latest show. The brand teamed up with nonprofit environmental organization Parley for the Oceans, producing sixty percent of the collection's fabrics from recycled ocean plastic. The resulting garments were blue, yellow, and whimsical.
The Body Has a New Shape at Loewe
Sharp, protruding hips and warped, golden chest plates, the women in Loewe's runway show were of a new type. Designer Jonathan Anderson took liberties with human anatomy for his latest collection, contorting the models as he pleased. The result was something both unnerving and fantastical. The clothes featured heavy, metal disks; sharp, cape-like shoulders; and clear tops that exposed one thing women normally keep covered: their breasts. Also thrown into the mix were a few more traditional garments. Glittering gowns and mini skirts walked alongside elegantly draped maxi dresses. Loewe has a look for every temperament of woman it seems.
A Plane Lands at Hermès
As the models lined up for the finale, the walls behind them opened, exposing the true location of this secluded runway: a private airport outside Paris. Then, in perfect synchronicity, a plane touched down to celebrate the end of Hermès' spring showing. The clothes themselves maintained a neutral palette, heavy on the crafted leather. The finer details of the garments, horse bits and eyelets, call back to the brand's horse-tack heritage, a subtle delight for fashion historians.
Balenciaga Pokes Fun at the Red Carpet
The line between what's real and what's for show has never been slimmer; Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia understands this. For its spring collection, the brand hosted a real/fake red carpet event. While the show's audience sat inside Paris' Théâtre du Châtelet, the models were outside, walking a red carpet, posing as celebrities in their designer duds. They took their turns in front of the paparazzi hordes, all live-streamed to the audience waiting inside. Mixed into the bunch were real A-listers and friends of Balenciaga, like Cardi B. To finish, a real movie premiere took place: a special, one-off Simpsons episode taking place at a Balenciaga runway show.
Pornhub Sponsors Fashion Week
There is a certain post-party aesthetic that is very fashionable. It blurs the line between being put together and needing to tidy up after a long night out. Ludovic de Saint Sernin designs for the consumer that likes to straddle that juxtaposition. This spring show was sponsored by none other than Pornhub, a preview for their upcoming collaboration collection. The designs featured semi-naked, leather mini dresses, all knotted and braided together by hand. Other models wore lightweight shirts and pants, straps falling off their shoulders. A couple of male models walked in nothing but detailed underpants.
Chanel Brings a Fashion Fantasy to Life
Virginie Viard's most recent collection for Chanel was a classic celebration of the wonderfully nostalgic and timeless fashion of the '80s and '90s and the perfect illustration of her passion for the brand. Drawing inspiration from the art of photography in capturing a moment in time, Chanel's Spring/Summer 2022 collection is meant to evoke stylish memories. Viard wrote on the inspiration of her show saying, "I used to love the sound of flashbulbs going off at shows in the '80s when models were on a raised runway. I wanted to recapture that emotion."
Miu Miu Goes Magically Minimal
Miuccia Prada's Miu Miu is one for the fearless fashion lover. Known for being extravagantly elegant and wonderfully whimsical, this Spring/Summer 2022 collection did not disappoint. A mix of low-rise mini's, embellished dresses, and elements of classic tailoring, Miuccia's most recent collection for the brand has something to offer every Miu Miu enthusiast. In hopes of creating pieces that inspire open self-acceptance, the designer's latest garments are both free and classic.
Louis Vuitton Goes for Bold
Despite an unexpected protestor mid-show, Nicolas Ghesquière's latest collection with Louis Vuitton is absolutely unforgettable. The geometric silhouettes and dramatic textures of the garments within his Spring/Summer 2022 collection glow under illuminated chandeliers. A magically monochrome color scheme with touches of embroidery and bright denim makes the collection untouchably unique. Pulling inspiration from almost every known era of fashion, Ghesquière's most recent work is a seamless extension of his Fall/Winter 2021 collection, and effortlessly illustrates the timeless story of the brand.
