Alternative backstage views at Paris Fashion Week

Fashion shows can be magical and glamorous events, powerful enough to transport guests and online viewers to a different world, often the world mentally inhabited by the designer as they craft their new collection. It’s a familiar format, even for those who have never been to a show: there are models, clothes, lights, music and often celebrities in the front row. When everything goes according to plan, the results can be extraordinary. And while the magic may only last about 12 minutes, it takes a lot to put on these shows.

Thousands of hours of work and sometimes hundreds of people are involved behind the scenes. There’s the brand’s designer and studio team, but also hair and makeup professionals, set designers, construction workers, PR reps, runners, assistants, interns, runway models, fit models, security guards , drivers and many, many more.

In this photo essay by Cyril Zannettacci, CNN Style goes behind the scenes at Paris Fashion Week’s Fall-Winter 2022 season, which wraps up today.

The images below include exclusive photos taken before the Balmain, Cecilie Bahnsen, Isabel Marant, Rick Owens and Dior shows. These photos offer a glimpse beyond, around and off the catwalk, providing an alternative view of fashion week.