Images: Imaxtree
That’s a wrap for fashion month now that Paris Fashion Week has come to a close — and what a week it has been! To get us in the mood, Maria Grazia Chiuri kicked us off with a modern dance performance at Christian Dior and to close us out, Karl Lagerfeld took us sur la plage with a makeshift beach complete with azure blue skies and lapping waves right in the middle of the Grand Palais for Chanel.
Throughout the week, our forums have witnessed Alessandro Michele take over the French capital for Gucci while Jane Birkin serenaded front row attendees. We’ve also seen Rei Kawakubo go back to basics with Comme des Garcons, Demna Gvasalia paying a respectful tribute to Cristóbal Balenciaga and watched in amazement as models walked on water at Saint Laurent before a twinkling Eiffel Tower at dusk. Isabel Marant went OTT with the 80s inspo and Hedi Slimane released a predictable debut collection for Celine.
Here are theFashionSpot’s hits and misses of Paris Fashion Week’s Spring 2019 season, according to our unfiltered and no-holds-barred forum members. (Because who needs the likes of Suzy Menkes, Tim Blanks and Cathy Horyn, right?) This season has been a roller coaster and we don’t want to get off. Until next season…
[ Next: 8 Hits and 8 Misses From Milan Fashion Week Spring 2019 ]
PFW Hits & Misses 1
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HIT: Balenciaga
"I really loved this collection, especially the tailoring and the nods to Cristóbal at the end with the last few dresses. I was unsure of Demna being at Balenciaga when it was first announced but he's come to be one of my favorite designers in recent years. No one else is doing what he's doing and he's been very respectable to Cristóbal." [perfect blue]
"As much as I immediately think of gimmicks when Demna comes up, I must say I love this. This is a new offering, this lacks stupid layered parkas and annoying text prints - everything wrong with fashion today. A new offering from Demna. This is a truly good direction to go for him." [dontbeadrag]
"Love this...it is refreshing how different from everyone else he is...the best collection so far!" [KissMiss]
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MISS: Louis Vuitton
"Probably [Nicolas Ghesquiere's] worst collection. I just didn't really understand what he was trying to do here. The proportions (those sleeves particularly) were awful. The prints and colors were ugly. The fabrics were very cheap-looking. Even this 'futuristic' vibe which is what he's literally known for felt very poorly thought out." [Marc10]
"I'm still in shock. I never supported him at LV but this is too much. The most horrible collection I've seen in years. Does he want to get fired or what?" [helmutnotdead]
"I was honestly shocked at how ugly everything was. It's somehow even uglier than anything he's done in the past for the label. I'm not a fan of him at Louis Vuitton. I'd like to believe he still has the creative genius inside of him, but there's something or someone holding him back. What is it I wonder?" [Salvatore]
See all the looks from the Louis Vuitton collection. -
MISS: Chanel
"I'm usually one to defend Karl but even this is pretty indefensible. This looks more like a resort collection from five years ago... No new concepts or cuts. More tweed jackets without anything unique to them. Even the beach set in the Grand Palais was really average and lackluster compared to previous Chanel sets." [billiejbob]
"Dated, stalled, stuck, tacky (that overdose of Chanel branding looks cheap and even fake!), uninteresting, dull, boring, uninspired...and I could go on and on! Red flag here! The beach must be closed!" [jeanclaude]
"Who needs this? Sorry but for me this is as dull as Dior. He's lost the magic. I just can't remember one single look. I'm ready for a change at Chanel." [helmutnotdead]
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HIT: Sacai
"Such amazing styling and use of colour/print. Another gorgeous collection." [Nomar]
"Beautiful prints: I love both the plaids and florals here as well as the play on fisherman pockets/vests." [Not Plain Jane]
"I really love her work, I think after all these seasons, she has built her own aesthetic and territory. Sometimes her idea feels the same or you've seen it before, but the way she puts everything together is supreme!!!" [Mathewthew]
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MISS: Balmain
"I love Egypt and Egyptian-inspired things, but this is tragic. First, there are too many looks and, secondly, it looks confused and not focused at all. It's clunky and highly tacky. It's higher-end Fashion Nova." [Salvatore]
"When you call yourself a fashion designer; and all you make is copying from past designers work... Be careful with those shoulder pads, you are gonna take out someone's eyes with them!!" [jeanclaude]
"Olivier, much like Michele, needs someone to help him edit. It’s just too much at some point. Those hideous plastic boots, this insane shape affair, the glitz, the pleats...etc. There’s this thing about Olivier: no matter how detailed his garments are, it looks cheap because there’s no sophistication in the allure." [Lola701]
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MISS: Stella McCartney
"She really had the chance to rebrand and elevate after dressing Markle post-wedding, disappointed she didn't take that chance and we are left with the same sort of unremarkable collection she's been churning out for years now." [HeatherAnne]
"Stella needs to get it together and get back to her fundamentals. She does effortless tailoring, beautiful dresses and great knitwear. Go back to that!" [Lola701]
"I'm not going to even bother watching the show. I agree that this was a missed opportunity to rebrand." [charmedp321]
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HIT: Thom Browne
"This show was a pure fashion trip and I loved it! The set, the clothes, the rich details and fabrics, the masks, the accessories (oh the shoes looove). Everything was perfect, a feast for my eyes. I had the same feeling as when I used to look at Dior by Galliano. I love Thom Browne." [GivenchyAddict]
"I’m bias[ed] when it comes to Thom! I just love him and his work...even more since I've bought two pieces (a jacket and a cashmere sweater). The quality is insane and the cut has an inexplicable quirk! As always, it’s OTT, slightly ridiculous but you know it’s not a joke when you can see the quality through the screen! Everything is sharply executed! Fabulous!!" [Lola701]
"Thom Browne is one of the truly talented provocateurs in today's sad state of fashion. He doesn't disrupt for the sake of shock value because the guy knows how to, first and foremost, design." [Ken Doll Jenner]
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MISS: Celine
"So typical, everything from the clothes, presentation, casting, music. Just so damn predictable. The fact that people were anticipating this show as if it was going to be some huge surprise." [TheoG]
"One. Trick. Pony." [Ives927]
"Everything is so damn tight...and fitted. Practically everything is black and white. The skinny silhouette is getting old and tired. If practically everyone is wearing the same silhouette...you're wearing a uniform." [margielamike2004]
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MISS: Valentino
"I am not really a fan of this collection. The straw hats no thanks, the bags no thanks, the big logo on sweaters no thanks, the dresses with the sequins screamed Manish Arora circa 2008 and then a few dresses just felt like little sisters of the haute couture ones." [GivenchyAddict]
"A dud after so many hits, it seems like he struggled big time to please his clientele while bringing some of the theatricality he explored in the HC. Not impressive, it all feels disjointed and like there's too much fabric where there shouldn't be." [YohjiAddict]
"I gotta say, ever since Pierpaolo became obsessed with uploading Instagram posts and stories, his work quality declined and he started showing all these mediocre looks. This collection is all over the place! Slowly turning into a one-trick pony like MGC. Yikes." [Ed..]
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HIT: Anrealage
"The detailing is just incredible, I love that first lilac section. A powerful statement despite the conservative cut of the garments." [YohjiAddict]
"One definitely needs to watch the collection on video because the effects on the garments make it all more understandable. Really lovely how he has the first part violet fading into clear and then the white segment with the vanishing blue is beautiful." [maimon]
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MISS: John Galliano
"Early XX century children's clothes with see-through fabrics; with a bit of the overexposed to death Galliano newspaper print...really, it's a miracle this brand is still afloat with Bill Gaytten at the helm of it." [jeanclaude]
"Shut this brand down! Won't stop saying this until they do, and no amount of passable collections will sway me. At some stage Gaytten will run out of ideas, right?" [Benn98]
"A very sad version of Spring 2004." [Salvatore]
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MISS: Sonia Rykiel
"Positively awful! Nothing redeeming, this entire collection reminds me of an unmade bed." [Benn98]
"I don't understand how a woman who spent years with one of the best designers can be so uninspiring and so bad at creating desirable clothes. I am really lost. Sonia Rykiel was about playfulness, sensuality, ode to femininity but here we have a Benetton fashion show." [GivenchyAddict]
"Mediocre." [Lola701]
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HIT: Comme des Garçons
"FUCKING AMAZING. Finally she's back." [helmutnotdead]
"I adored this collection! I think by not having those trademark big proportions, by slimming the silhouette she gave the clothes a fresher look. Oh, and the baby bumps were incredible. Makes me miss the Comme des Garçons from the 90s that I love." [Ruito]
"Amazing! I can only imagine how good this will look in stores. These pieces feel so controlled and precise, even while literally bursting at the seams! It's my favorite Rei collection in who knows how long." [StoneSkipper]
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MISS: Givenchy
"My problem with Clare's designs is that the silhouette is too boring, so when she is not playing with volumes - like in the shoulders - her clothes are very flat. This is what happened this time." [ghostwriter10549]
"It feels so...sterile. It lacks passion, energy...it's a strange feeling that I get from this collection. Like a void of fabrics and colours mixed together." [jeanclaude]
"God her clothes reek of mid-00s. It looks so dated. This one has a bit of Demna's Balenciaga too. It's not offensive to the eye at all, it's just... not desirable." [Marc10]
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HIT: Yohji Yamamoto
"There’s not a single piece here that I don’t want to wear. Beautifully cut. Interesting. Pleasing." [MsCrow]
"The second half was just incredible, one of my favorites of his in recent years. The twisted coat/dress, the bunched up white coat and all the other ones with brushstrokes on them, the final white and black looks...they were just exquisite. The last true great master." [YohjiAddict]
"Really strong collection. He is one of the reasons why I am more inspired by Japanese clothing." [perfect blue]
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MISS: Junya Watanabe
"Really not his best collection. Nothing desirable, nothing remarkable, nothing really interesting. What a disappointment from Junya!" [Lola701]
"Nothing remarkable, it lacks the moody quality that I like in his shows, that shade of denim is just not my thing." [YohjiAddict]
"I'm getting Britney flashbacks with some of the evening gowns, but for the most part this is a no for me. And a huge part of what's wrong is actually the styling!" [Benn98]
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HIT: Loewe
"I find Jonathan's taste level at Loewe exquisite. The pieces are extremely luxurious, very interesting and well-designed. Particularly in love with the beige suit w/a white collar mid-show; the proportions are fabulous and it looks like butter." [dodencebt]
"I’m swooning over the knit pieces." [GERGIN]
"Stunning! This was such a pristine and precise collection! All the colors went well together, the extra details didn't overwhelm the garments, and the flow was just magnetic! Brava!" [ToniOrtega]
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MISS: Poiret
"It’s Poiret but it looks more Vionnet... That’s the tricky part with trying to revive something so removed in time. Another brand that should have remained closed." [Lola701]
"She needs to drape and construct the Poiret silhouette in a more obvious note. Because the garments already look like they came from a medium priced luxury brand that relies on WGSN forecasts." [PierreGotha]
"I mean...that color palette alone screams 'duty-free fashion'. Let the dead rest in peace..." [YohjiAddict]
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HIT: Haider Ackermann
"He never disappoints. It's perfection. I'm drooling." [Morgane07]
"It looks so simple, so effortless...and yet so rich, so beautiful, so right." [Marc10]
"Absolutely stunning, love the dash of tropical citrus. What a much needed palette cleanser after Celine." [Vitamine W]
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MISS: Hermes
"I feel like this type of thing was already done much better by the Jil Sander guys back in Milan. This lacks bite and it's a bit too 2007 for me." [YohjiAddict]
"It still feels contrived, I miss the elements chicness and effortlessness." [Nymphaea]
"Nadège is bad and insufferable. She deserves a position as design director not more IMO. Hermes needs drama, excess. It is not like they will not sell because they have so many iconic bags and accessories so why not be bold?!" [GivenchyAddict]
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HIT: Issey Miyake
"What a beautiful, stunning collection!! Not too long, not too short, and finally something original which evokes some sense of summer. I'm mad about the detailing and colour direction. Each and every look impressed me here!!!" [Benn98]
"Absolutely gorgeous, covetable, and such a positive, easy vibe. I want to wear these clothes so badly." [Not Plain Jane]
"I agree too, this is my favorite Issey collection in a while. These clothes feel so breezy and carefree, and even the more complex looks have such a sense of ease." [StoneSkipper]
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MISS: Isabel Marant
"I am soo tired of the trashy thrift store 80s look. Someone should tell her acid-washed denim gives a dirty junkie-hooker look. This looks like sleeping behind a dumpster, covered in cardboard boxes." [jeanclaude]
"Bet Emmanuelle Alt was clapping like a deranged fangirl when she saw this drivel paraded past her. The heavier pieces do look straight up out of a vintage store. And the rest pretty generic - Forever 21, and I'm being generous here." [Benn98]
"A disaster! This is her worst collection since Fall 2013! This is terrible..." [Lola701]
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HIT: Rick Owens
"OMG, he just performed a ritual in the middle of Palais de Tokyo. I love you Rick! This collection is so good, it's been a while since I truly enjoyed something coming from him. SOOO much better than the SS menswear. Great job!" [ghostwriter10549]
"I love this collection. I was expecting the usual but he surprised me and I'm glad!" [Perickles]
"I particularly love what's wearable here. A lot of people will go crazy over the fringed dresses; they can be worn in so many ways." [dodencebt]
See all the looks from the Rick Owens collection. -
MISS: Altuzarra
"No talent whatsoever. He built his career on Tom Ford's archive. Of his generation he is my least favorite. Even Alexander Wang is better than this." [GivenchyHomme]
"Showing. in. Paris. doesn’t. give. your. mediocre. brand. credibility." [dodencebt]
"So American in terms of sensibility! What is he doing in Paris??" [Benn98]
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MISS: Elie Saab
"This is so dated that it is actually sad." [ghostwriter10549]
"Elie Saab is always OK for me. Nothing exciting, nothing disappointing. He does the job and creates good pieces with much moderation knowing who his clients are." [MetroMelannie]
"Quite disappointed with this one! The music was so good but the shoes, OMG, dangerous. None of the girls could walk properly. Seriously, make shoes that don't hurt!" [gossiping]
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HIT: Ann Demeulemeester
"Daiane opening this show was already a win for me. Really gorgeous collection." [Ed..]
"He really is one of the best examples that reverence of the past does not mean rehashing ideas like for like. Totally in love with his work for Ann Demeulemeester!" [boykidlat]
See all the looks from the Ann Demeulemeester collection. -
MISS: Alexander McQueen
"Why do I always have the impression that Sarah Burton's collections are similar to each other? Oh wait...because she always makes more or less the same things each season! In any case I am fed up with her way of dressing the models like human dolls: very fragile, very static and very boring!!" [jeanclaude]
"While I like Sarah Burton, this feels really phoned in and redundant. All of these pieces we’ve seen before...even down to the braided ponytails." [kenndale]
"This is just a parody." [helmutnotdead]
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HIT: Dries Van Noten
"So beautiful! Always good to see his collection every season." [GivenchyAddict]
"Best show of the season for me. Dries at his best! Amazing how he made those tech-y fabrics and utilitarian looks feel so goddamn luxurious and fresh. The colors are gorgeous!" [Marc10]
"Now this is what I've been waiting for. I think this is phenomenal - very luxurious, very desirable. Love the prints, love the colors, those beady strings would've bothered me at the hands of someone less capable, but Dries pulls them off, the looser draping, the fit of the pants... Everything is just so beautiful and covetable." [StoneSkipper]
See all the looks from the Dries Van Noten collection. -
MISS: Saint Laurent
"I find this rather embarrassing. I refuse to believe that it's a coincidence that the season Hedi comes back, Vaccarello (or Mr. Pinault) decide to do a 'Hedi for Saint Laurent retrospective'. The copies are so literal that it's offensive!" [Lola701]
"The first half is literally Zara. Which is OK because Hedi's Saint Laurent was also Zara." [RedSmokeRise]
"I'm not sure what it says about a collection when the swimwear is the highlight of the whole presentation." [WhiteLotus]
See all the looks from the Saint Laurent collection. -
MISS: Gucci
"Gucci won't get rid of him because of the sales but mark my words, this brand will come crashing down like it did in the 80s. This is just sooo tacky and camp. At this point almost five years on it's just boring now." [disco54]
"This is just embarrassing. What a one-note designer. He's like Dolce & Gabbana - just rehashing the same crap each season. I mean, it's the same thing EVERY. SINGLE. SEASON!" [billiejbob]
"So much to see and nothing to see at the same time." [ghostwriter10549]
See all the looks from the Gucci collection. -
HIT: Koché
"Easily one of my favorite collections of the season. It's very easy and playful while still retaining a very down-to-earth sophistication. Absolutely love it." [StoneSkipper]
"Very good! I love that with Koché, the idea of sportswear/streetwear is done with a more sophisticated touch. It’s not about styling, it’s about creation. A polo shirt with inserts of lace, a kind of football jersey that has received a Dior treatment. And there is a real nonchalance and sensuality. It’s very feminine but with a real edge." [Lola701]
"Most of this is so good - you can easily spot the references but everything has been reworked. The black suit worn with a red rose choker is sublime." [dodencebt]
See all the looks from the Koché collection. -
MISS: Off-White
"What a hack! This guy's got the audacity to send a cropped denim jacket with matching capris down the runway??? And the running tight suits? Talk about proving the haters right. There's no craft, skill, or flow to this 'collection.'" [Benn98]
"Yet another absurd, meaningless and meandering collection from Virgil. Color me surprised! He makes Alexander Wang look like Vionnet, such a hack!" [YohjiAddict]
"Off-TheParisFashionWeekCalendarPleaseAndThankYou." [GERGIN]
See all the looks from the Off-White collection. -
MISS: Miu Miu
"It was painful to watch...really. The styling was borderline vulgar. The hair and makeup was a train wreck. I can’t believe that Miuccia let Katie Grand use Miu Miu as her playground." [Lola701]
"One word: Vulgar. Horrible styling (and casting too, I assume) by Katie Grand." [Ed..]
"Ugh. When will the horrible socks + shoes combo end at Prada/Miu Miu?" [Scotty]
See all the looks from the Miu Miu collection. -
HIT: Rochas
"Dreamy collection, I love the colors and styling." [liberty33r1b]
"Must say I liked everything from the ostrich feather segment at the end. It's really quite trite at the moment, but this looks interesting and wearable." [Benn98]
See all the looks from the Rochas collection. -
MISS: Courrèges
"So, they fired Arnaud & Sébastien for this? Pure nonsense, pure gimmick, pure trash... Another fail in the making." [Lola701]
"No, no, no... what a mess. What made Arnaud & Sébastien's collections so great was the fact that they perfectly captured the true ethos of Courrèges and translated it into contemporary, fresh and desirable clothes. This is the opposite of that. Heavy-handed on the references and just plain ugly! Big fail." [Marc10]
"Cheap-looking streetwear mixed with literal copies from the archive with some logos here and there (I have always thought that Courrèges logo is horrible. It would be better to avoid it)." [jeanclaude]
See all the looks from the Courrèges collection. -
MISS: Christian Dior
"Just another boring, hideous collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri." [Ed..]
"So dull, lifeless, repetitive, same old same old, downright ugly in parts. Is it possible there can't be a middle ground between this snoozefest and the gimmicks of the Alessandro Micheles and the Demnas of the world? Anyway, it's really sad that this is Dior." [mistress_f]
"If this is her last show, give the title to Alber Elbaz, please! What a depressing collection. As always." [thatsfierce]
See all the looks from the Christian Dior collection. -
HIT: Chloe
"It's a very nice collection." [Sensation]
"Come through Natacha! This is great, marvelous! In a short amount of time, she has developed her vision in a very direct way. She went back to the origins of Chloe, the Karl years, the years of flou and this collection is almost 100 percent about flou." [Lola701]
"I liked it, more so than her debut collection, it’s less complicated for starters and I absolutely loved all the prints and colors along with the bags and shoes." [GERGIN]
See all the looks from the Chloe collection. -
MISS: Maison Margiela
"Never been a fan of Margiela x Galliano and I would never because it is always the same thing with the quirky pose from the models, weird styling. I don't think he is someone good at recycling ideas. He is the master of theatrics, of opulence and drama." [GivenchyAddict]
"Yes, John at Maison Margiela isn't coming to fruition. I yearn for him to go back like he designed at Dior, with a few boundaries but with a lot more freedom than at Maison Margiela. His genius isn't showing enough here." [Nymphaea]
"Galliano is really obsessed with trench coats, each collection he has designed for Margiela has at least one deconstructed trench coat...it feels very OCD!!" [jeanclaude]
See all the looks from the Maison Margiela collection. -
MISS: Jacquemus
"I'm sorry, but some of it reads as a slightly higher-end Fashion Nova. Not sure what it is." [Salvatore]
"This is tragic. Fashion Nova is right." [dior_couture1245]
"This is the incorrect way to do the 'Fashion Slut'. First of all, look at how cheap the fabrics look. When you're exposing that much skin there has to be some kind of structure, otherwise everything will droop. Nobody wants to see saggy boobs! The level of taste is questionable here. It comes off very Project Runway." [GivenchyHomme]
See all the looks from the Jacquemus collection. -
HIT: Paco Rabanne
"YES JULIEN!! I'm glad he's back into making fun pieces instead of that really weird Peter Saville slogan hoodie era." [RedSmokeRise]
"This has to be my most fave collection of this season. I wonder what was his inspiration for this cause I'm seeing a lot of Southeast Asian references." [Ed..]
"I like this a lot! I think he is coming into his own at Paco Rabanne." [Lola701]
See all the looks from the Paco Rabanne collection. -
MISS: Mugler
"What’s the project behind this? Who is this for? The cut, the fabrics, the garments are so wrong. Koma’s cut was surgical and he understood the idea of sexiness and the importance of the body in the Mugler silhouette. This is trying too hard and it lacks vision." [Lola701]
"At this point, just close the brand. Who needs this?!" [helmutnotdead]
"This was a disappointing show. I feel like they want to create some new codes for Mugler and that's why they're still trying to make the paint splash thing and cycling shorts happen but there's nothing that would say it's a Mugler collection." [perhydrol]
See all the looks from the Mugler collection.
