While the Oscars were in the front of our minds on this side of the Atlantic yesterday, Fashion Week roared on in Paris.
The weekend brought a focus on the conceptual avant-garde — the stranger the looks, the better. And Sunday’s shows did not disappoint, as heavy hitters including Céline, Chloé, Givenchy, and Kenzo presented accessories that are surely going to inspire a craze or two next fall. Below, our favorite 11 looks from the weekend.
1. At Acne, amidst psychedelic swirls of pastels and silhouettes that experimented on staples of the 1970s, one look stood out for its severity, sportiness, and great accessories: a navy leather anorak tunic, paired with a matching leather backpack and spherical earrings.
2. At Viktor & Rolf, one standout look was a boxy silver jacquard coat-dress with an ice-blue leather front.
3. Strange shapes were the focus at Junya Watanabe; we loved one look in particular that featured felt bias-cut circles that created languid, droopy shapes.
4. Haider Ackermann’s fall collection took an ascetic turn, opening with the simplest neutral colors and classic menswear tailoring. One look was a study in layering: a tailored wool jacket over a matching coat and silk bomber.
5. Leave it to Vivienne Westwood to make Victorian mutton sleeves sexy, as they are here on this sateen dress with a graphite charcoal print.
6. At Comme des Garçons, our favorite looks were conceptual silhouettes constructed with padded jersey and cotton that reimagined the body in unusual shapes.
7. From the opening look at Céline, Phoebe Philo immediately made us forget about spring’s artful Rasta romp. A tight palette of black, cream, and olive assured Philo-philes that luxury would still exist in everyday wear. This look, a long and lean knit tunic and pants (in a flared shape, not too distant from Marc Jacobs) stood out. The new, sinewy silhouette was complemented by soon-to-be-coveted knockout accessories: a single statement earring, a bold colorful cuff, and an oversize tangerine fur muff.
8. At Kenzo, creative black-tie was given a whole new meaning: A graphic red-and-black-printed suit was paired with a shirt of a contrasting print, but, more noticeably, a swingy skirt came over the suit. It was a new, dressed-up suit.
9. Fall outings for Clare Waight Keller’s Chloé usually promise great new bags and enticing outerwear. Exhibit look 29: a leopard fur coat with strips of marigold and ruby fur worn over an ivory fringed dress. The bag tucked underneath the arm exudes just enough nonchalance.
10. Riccardo Tisci used a butterfly motif throughout this knockout collection for Givenchy. While we loved the natural nudes and browns of the moth wings, the finale looks were truly stunning. Here, Stella Tennant wears high-waisted trousers with contrasting pockets (surely to be popular pants next fall) and a sleeveless embroidered top of a textural feathery color. If only someone on the red carpet could wear this.
11. Lastly, Maison Rabih Kayrouz gave us more than a few looks that look super-wearable right now. This floor-grazing open-faced coat worn over a nubby tunic sweater and spliced midi-skirt was enlivened (but not overtly so) by metallic gold booties.