There are only two moments a year when fashion surprises and shows new trends. Fall/Winter Fashion Week takes place annually in late winter, with the Spring/Summer collections surfacing on the runway in late summer. Fashion week, or perhaps fashion month, takes place in the major fashion capitals of the world, such as New York, London, Milan and Paris. While these are considered the main events, fashion weeks in other cities occur throughout the year and may be labeled as pre or post fashion week shows. Each defining city of the top four has its designated weeks to offer jaw-dropping displays. In February, from seven to fifteen are dedicated to New York. Fifteen to nineteen gives birth to London, nineteen to twenty-fifth represents Milan, and Paris serves the last week of February, moving into March until the fifth. The concept of fashion week was born in Paris. Marketers had a history of hiring women to wear couture items in public, from supermarkets to beauty salons. Paparazzi and journalists followed and sought out these people to document striking fashionistas. As these events became more prominent in society, they became social spectacles. In this way, fashion week sets a precedent to kick off the fall and spring seasons, where the main transitions in fashion took place in the transition to the intense summer and winter seasons.
In love with Loewe fashion! (https://www.elle.com/fashion/g39286395/paris-fashion-week-fall-winter-2022/)
Paris Fall/Winter Fashion Week featured many trend forecasts planned for the coming seasons. These include thigh-high boots, baggy clothing, elaborate layering, monochromatic ensembles with cutting silhouettes, and the revival of tweed. From low heeled boots and chunky platform boots to prominent footwear, these styles will be prominent when the weather starts to cool down. Specifically, many collections showcased the thigh-high suede boot that pioneered fashion around 2011. In the wake of the 2022 Met Gala in May, many collections featured a Gilded Age influence with a modern twist. Denim corsets made their way into the Dior and Balmain look-book. The deconstruction of the outfits designed the reimagining of the historical and traditional corset.
Crisp Balenciaga Blues! (https://www.elle.com/fashion/g39286395/paris-fashion-week-fall-winter-2022/)
The Balenciaga show featured a moving and rotating snowstorm simulated runway. The creative director, Demna, almost withdrew the brand’s collection from the fashion week due to the development of the conflict inside Ukraine. He presented T-shirts with the Ukrainian flag on all the seats surrounding the catwalk. The director was a refugee from his native Georgia. Due to the resonance that Demna felt parallel to his personal experience, he wanted to shine as a commemoration for the Ukrainian people. Before this, the brand’s Instagram account deleted all its posts and posted a unique photo of the Ukrainian flag. The pieces within the collection serve almost as protection against the simulated runway of snow. These looks covered the models in almost their entire surface, emphasizing the separate pieces like a shell. Accessories stood out in these ensembles, with leg-spanning boots and unstructured bags following suit. Before the start of the show, Demna read a poem in Ukrainian by Oleksander Oles to shed light on the situation. In general, this entire show, from the stage, the pieces and the general structure, remained an undeniable front for resistance.
Valentino meets all PINK! (https://www.elle.com/fashion/g39286395/paris-fashion-week-fall-winter-2022/)
Valentino took a different approach this season by moving away from one of his brand’s defining characteristics. Instead of Valentino’s infamous red, a monochromatic line of pink clothing appeared on the runway. The Valentino Pink PP collection, with ‘PP’ for creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, was presented as a dual gender collection with some isolated black monochromatic looks as well. The name of the collection was developed in collaboration between Valentino and Pantone, who developed and named the shade exclusively for the brand. The hue was a change from the 2010s ‘millennial pink’ that made its debut in the wake of the #MeToo movement, as well as on the 2019 Oscars red carpet. Pantone’s exclusive color was developed from pandemic mood mitigation, which was “…a dopamine colored pop…” (Velasquez 2022). Therefore, Valentino was a standout show in its Fall/Winter 2022-2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection.
Off-White wows the crowd! (https://www.elle.com/fashion/g39286395/paris-fashion-week-fall-winter-2022/)
Following the passing of the designer and creative director, the late Virgil Abloh debuted his final Off-White collection after elevating the brand beyond fashion week standards. Abloh’s success led him to become the male creative director at Louis Vuitton. Abloh’s death shocked the fashion community at his young age, but the mark he left on 21st-century fashion will last forever. The final show supervised by Abloh was titled “Spaceship Earth, an “Imaginary Experience”, which began in two sectors. The models held white banners reading ‘Question Everything’, which served as a tribute to Abloh and has appeared in his collections over the years. A host of Abloh’s celebrities and friends hit the runway, including rapper Kim Jones, Serena William and Ishod Wair. The tribute show catapulted fashion further into the future with Abloh’s final range of designs.
From the wildfire of Miu Miu to the surrealism within Loewe ensembles and the ever-changing spectacle of Rick Owens, the Fall/Winter Ready-to-Wear collections usher in a new era. Known as the “Miu Miu Effect”, the brand has a driving force to showcase and introduce new trends that sustain the months leading up to new fashion seasons. Leather, diamonds, checks and tennis chic all made their way into this previous collection and are sure to show up in department stores next season. Snakeskin, sheepskin and dyed leather were featured throughout the brand’s fluid gender expression. Loewe’s surreal silhouettes and proportions showcased her elusive nature in this upcoming season. Directed and designed by Kim Jones, the collection captured the artistic vision of polarizing traditional yet unconventional style. With curved lines and uniform proportions, Jones captured the meaning of fashion as an artistic expression for Loewe’s hallmark at the annual fashion weeks.
The magic of Miu Miu fashion week! (https://www.elle.com/fashion/g39286395/paris-fashion-week-fall-winter-2022/)
Credited with the inquisitive and original thinking of individual creative directors, they allow for the infinite expansion of creation proving that the limits of fashion are limitless. The Paris catwalks proved to be blessed with new trends for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. After these shows were paused for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brands went all out and didn’t stop for their comebacks in every fashion week from the months of February to March.
Source: brhscatseyeview.org