Images: Imaxtree
That’s a complete wrap for Paris Fashion Week. Four cities, nearly thirty days and countless designers have now showcased their wares for Fall 2019 — and what an absolute rollercoaster of emotions it has been.
Is there any show even worth talking about other than Chanel? The legendary French fashion house collectively presented Karl Lagerfeld’s final collection after the designer sadly passed away in February and left the fashion crowd in a state of shock. Lagerfeld didn’t disappoint, instructing the erection of an entire skiing village in the middle of the Grand Palais, complete with chalets and snow-covered ground as his muses from past and present gathered for the emotional occasion.
At the start of the week, the industry looked to Simon Porte Jacquemus, who staged his show around a makeshift small French town, harking back to his childhood in the countryside. Anthony Vaccarello gave us his take on Betty Catroux à la 2019 and rounded off the Saint Laurent show by having models parade the finale dresses under UV lighting, transforming everything to shades of neon before the eyes of startled front row attendees. Miuccia Prada just concluded a Topshop-worthy selection of duds at Miu Miu, along with Nicolas Ghesquière and his 80s-inspired Louis Vuitton collection.
We also witnessed the flourishing of Lanvin‘s new creative director Bruno Sialelli, who officially made his runway debut this season with effortless ease. Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh produced the most perfect transitional collection, ushering in a breath of fresh air at Nina Ricci. Meanwhile, Maria Grazia Chiuri is still at the helm of Christian Dior giving us more of the same old silhouette, Clare Waight Keller’s collection for Givenchy lacked “romance and sexiness” and we’re left scratching our heads as to why Virgil Abloh insists on showcasing his Off-White wares in Paris (and the same goes for Altuzarra!).
As the industry’s elite begin to depart the City of Light, here are theFashionSpot’s hits and misses of Paris Fashion Week’s Fall 2019 season, as articulated by our fiercely unfiltered forum members. Until next season … au revoir!
[ Next: All the Best Street Style Looks From Paris Fashion Week ]
Hits and Misses Paris Fall 2019
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HIT: Loewe
"He rarely disappoints. Another superb collection!" [Sensation]
"Going to the Loewe show on a gloomy Parisian day and then seeing all that fabulosity! It was divine ... I almost wanted to buy everything. There were some interesting details like the back slit on the simple white chunky sweater, the pearls and the embroidered sweater." [Lola701]
"I like this eclectic collection; there are so many pieces I want to wear and it's great that each look has a little twist." [Not Plain Jane]
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MISS: Balmain
"This collection reminds me of birds making a nest: They build it with whatever they can get. So here we have Chanel rip-offs, aborted deconstruction, supermarket cheap denim, deformed volumes and garbage-bag vibes at the end." [jeanclaude]
"He really wants that Chanel job. This was hilarious in the worst way." [just me]
"How is it possible to make Balmain look this cheap? Such sloppy construction — it looks like everything was made in a week, and the materials and ornamentation are terrible." [AnaD]
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HIT: Haider Ackermann
"There are so many stunning pieces in this collection, I adore almost everything. In love with the coats and top pieces, especially. I also love the color palette and patterns. Everything looks so regal. Sublime menswear as well. One of my favorite collections this season for sure!" [sore]
"Outrageously gorgeous!" [RedSmokeRise]
"PFW delivers this season! So chic and faultless. It has an effortless vibe even if everything is very tight, precise and quite complicated. Fabulous! J’adore! J’adhere! J’Haider!" [Lola701]
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MISS: Celine
"Instead of a modern interpretation of the archives, it looks like Hedi handed his seamstresses a 1970s copy of Vogue Pattern and said, 'Copy this but make it YSL.' This is not covetable or aspirational." [whippe]
"I am genuinely confused by all of the press love for this collection. What modern woman in 2019 wants to look like she's living in the 1970s? It's well styled but it looks like an old rich French woman digging through her closet archives. She looks nice but not exactly what a contemporary executive/independent woman wants to project." [SophiaVB]
"I'd appreciate if someone can tell me the difference between this and Zadig & Voltaire. Thanks." [helmutnotdead]
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HIT: Olivier Theyskens
"So elegant and it seems luxurious without being all over the place. Great collection!" [IloveDiorHomme]
"Wonderful! The tailoring here is divine. There’s nothing like a jacket that pushes the body into a new, severe shape without a single pucker, drag line or buckling. That’s the kind of designing that’s worth getting excited over." [dior_couture1245]
"Really nice! It's sharp, well tailored, and it has a sense of control. And some of the best trousers I've seen all season." [TheoG]
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MISS: Altuzarra
"He is a ... lost cause, and the people around him are not helpful. Melanie Huynh is not a good enough stylist to edit the looks and to give a direction to the whole collection." [GivenchyAddict]
"I'm so confused; this looks like Ulla Johnson. I guess that's the way I feel about all his collections, though; they always reek of someone else's aesthetic. All these years later I'm still left wondering what HIS signature identity is and why he is praised so much." [HeatherAnne]
"This collection is confused. I feel like this guy is confused in his vision. Vivienne Westwood boots with Isabel Marant dresses." [Lola701]
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HIT: Nina Ricci
"It’s a nice debut collection [from Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh]!" [LustforFashion]
"Nice cleanup after the previous CD!" [GERGIN]
"Ohhh, very nice! love the color palette, nice proportions. Promising, very promising." [GivenchyAddict]
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MISS: Off-White
"Is Virgil Abloh trying to use the casting to distract people from noticing the mediocrity of his designs?" [Nomar]
"Embarrassing mess as usual, a painful reminder of where fashion stands today." [YohjiAddict]
"Not sure why clothes like these even deserve a runway show on the official schedule of Paris Fashion Week. They look so ridiculously amateurish." [haoshcn]
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HIT: Comme des Garçons
"WOW. I can't stop thinking about it. Literally made me cry and forget all the rest of the shows I've seen the past weeks." [helmutnotdead]
"BAM! She brought it! Finally something to look at!" [gazebo]
"I'm in awe of this collection, one of my favorites from her in years. The leather pieces, the romantic touches, that purple dress!. The opening look, everything is absolutely amazing here." [mistress_f]
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MISS: Isabel Marant
"Looks like exaggerated aviator cosplay. Very stuffy and heavy looking, and unflattering on people who aren't model-esque." [AnaD]
"She used to be about breezy, flattering clothes for the masses. This seems heavy and dated! What happened?" [donyan]
"She literally still thinks it's 1983 and most of her clothing for years now has looked of that time. I have no issues with referencing the past, I myself love early 70s fashion, but one should mix influences and periods or inject new ideas. This is just too literal of fashion from the 80s!" [disco54]
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HIT: Thom Browne
"One of my favorite collections of the season so far. Love the change of direction to more pared-down, wearable clothes. Every outfit is immaculately crafted and he imbued the clothes with a little more discipline and restraint." [Ruito]
"Beautiful, simple collection. This is maybe his most accessible, pragmatic collection. It’s more subtle and even the shoulders are rounder and the silhouettes are less unforgiving. He gave some shape to his woman." [Lola701]
"This is fantastic: cheeky, fun, and beautifully tailored. Does anyone else think he'd be great at Chanel?" [Not Plain Jane]
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MISS: Redemption
"I love sexy dressing but I hate Redemption. The girls are hot but there’s nothing subtle about it. When the shape is fine, the fabric is tacky. When the fabric is fine, there’s a tacky detail. This is worse than Phillip Plein." [Lola701]
"Meh, this is OK if it's like a boutique, mid-level price range. Otherwise, what's the point?" [reese06]
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HIT: Yohji Yamamoto
"The details ... are amazing! Love the fringe, ribbons, buttons over the layered black coats." [Fiercification]
"Divine, as usual. I'd honestly have Yohji's worst collection over whatever hideous, tacky, ridiculous flavor of the month is hot these days. Neither he or Rei ever cared about being trendy, and that's their timeless appeal." [mistress_f]
"The white outfit with the charcoal smears is my absolute favorite!" [Not Plain Jane]
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MISS: Givenchy
"Apart from the tuxedo with the glittery lapel, this is terrible. One of the worst collection of the season. What’s Clare Waight Keller's plan? The couture clients can enjoy something modern and slick and the masses have to get the dated, ugly and dusty stuff?" [Lola701]
"Her clothes lack any romance or sexiness, it feels clinical and tortured." [disco54]
"She killed the brand in two years. Nobody I know wants to wear Givenchy anymore." [FashionFanatico]
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HIT: Stella McCartney
"Erhm, I really like this? Did she change design teams or something? Cant recall I ever scrolled through her looks with actual admiration. I wish Clare churned this out for Givenchy. Color me impressed." [Vitamine W]
"I’ve always been a fan of Stella. It’s one of those brands that just solves problem. It’s not too expensive; in terms of fashion, it’s accessible without being dry ... unlike a lot of brands. And her stuff is particularly timeless." [Lola701]
"I never pay much attention to Stella but I like this, too." [dfl-001]
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MISS: Balenciaga
"Possibly one of the most irritating shows I've seen in a long time. Perhaps that awful light display at the start was to mask the sheer mediocrity and lack of design going on. This is possibly his worst collection at Balenciaga so far." [ogepma]
"Do people actually purchase this elevated shoulder mess of coats? It looks so gross." [aracic]
"I really can't stand how lazy Demna is. Balenciaga is a beautiful house and it is possible to do wonders, but I guess he just doing what he is paid for." [GivenchyAddict]
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HIT: Chanel
"Can't say anything other than that I loved it. So stunning." [Salvatore]
"LOVED IT. And I'm actually not saying that because it's his last presentation. I genuinely love all the different elements from the retro apres-ski to the splashes of color to the magical capes and suits to the beautiful coats at the beginning. I think it's by far one of his better collections over the past few years." [billiejbob]
"What a gorgeous collection. Karl will be missed so much." [Caffeine]
See all the looks from the Chanel collection. -
MISS: Valentino
"Pierpaolo Piccioli's worst collection, maybe? Ninety percent of the prints (and the way they're used) and the tulle dresses are, like, inexplicably bad!" [mistress_f]
"This is plain, boring and old AS F#CK. If you pay attention, you'll notice that he barely changes something between seasons. I'm just tired of this. I'd love to see him going the direction of his first solo show." [helmutnotdead]
"Ugly. And those dresses from the finale — how do you make such a light material looks so heavy? Awful colors." [dfl-001]
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HIT: Sacai
"I just love how rich and complex it is. It takes time to process and that's what I like about it. You can't just watch it once and remember everything. It's consistent and tricky." [Valentine27]
"I loved her simpler shows a couple years ago and this show is a return to restraint. Her craftsmanship and love of patterning is so needed in this times of soulless sweatshirts and celebrity branding." [YohjiAddict]
"I love it, adore it and want so much of it. Not just the clothes, which are playful, intricate and absolutely her signature ... but I really want some sunglasses and and those multicolored boots!" [Not Plain Jane]
See all the looks from the Sacai collection. -
MISS: Hermes
"Oh, wow, this is dreadful. Why. Are. People. Still. Making. Those. Weird. Bomber. Jackets. Wrong market for this. Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski is killing their identity; I think she'll be toast before too long." [HeatherAnne]
"Nadege's collections are so 2-D, uninspiring and unattractive. Hermes is a top luxury brand and should have a designer who designs attractive top luxury clothes. Throwing in some leathers, etc., isn't making this house the best, unfortunately. This can be so much better." [Nymphaea]
"Not really shocked that it turned out to be so boring." [RedSmokeRise]
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MISS: Alexander McQueen
"Great, another McQueen collection which doesn't remind of Alexander at all. Pease, just change the name of this brand to 'Sarah McQueen' or something, because here there's not a single thing relatable to Alexander's style. Those Valentino-esque dresses at the end feel so desperately trendy ... and Alexander wasn't a trend-follower designer, for God's sake!" [jeanclaude]
"I absolutely hate it. Sarah Burton is a terrible designer. This is on the same low level as the likes of Prabal Gurung and Altuzarra." [dior_couture1245]
"It's just so UGLY and dated, like a bad nightmare from the 80s mixed with some old stuff from Sarah's collections." [perhydrol]
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MISS: Miu Miu
"What is this? Tommy Hilfiger x Miuccia Prada? Topshop?" [helmutnotdead]
"Looks like a Project Runway collection from 2008!" [To think not long ago, Prada and Miu Miu were some of the most important shows in the business. Now they are the two biggest jokes. Everyone knows it ... it’s just the desperate, tacky, know-nothing influencers that eat it up, and the industry veterans have to grit their teeth to write obligatorily positive and glowing reviews." [dior_couture1245]
See all the looks from the Miu Miu collection. -
MISS: Louis Vuitton
"This is the worst collection of the whole season. Like, THE WORST. It looks as if Nicolas had taken the worst things from the 80s and the avant garde of that period and made a collection. What's more, to me there's something similar to the Bill Gaytten's infamous debut at Dior. Really, it sums the whole season up perfectly." [perhydrol]
"What a joke! It's just horrible in every way." [FashionFanatico]
"To think he made some of the most amazing, trend-defining, forward-thinking collections of the last decade. He really has lost it." [Melancholybaby]
See all the looks from the Louis Vuitton collection. -
HIT: Dries Van Noten
"This is it! The build-up, the colors! The vividness! I’m super wild for this collection! I love Dries for such a controlled build-up, which he does often. But here it shines, the pale lilacs and greens make way for super flour and vivid prints. Absolutely poetic! The shapes are wearable and accessible. To me this is fashion, and it’s so unique to Dries. I’m in love." [Norden]
"A master of print and color. I thought Dries fell off the wagon for a while, but he redeems himself beautifully here. I love that a lot of the clothes are more elegant than usual, and there is a great evening wear section for those unafraid of a little sparkle. I am absolutely in love with the furs, it literally looks like the models are wearing something that is on fire." [dodencebt]
"ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS. The prints, the color palette, the silhouettes, the sheer elegance of every single piece. I love when Dries goes darker, this is truly fantastic!" [mistress_f]
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MISS: Marine Serre
"I can’t stand her. This is trash. It all looks beyond cheap." [dior_couture1245]
"I was convinced the new Marni took the crown for fugliest collection of the season. Marine Serre: 'Hold my beer.'" [Vitamine W]
"Winning so many awards to make this?" [jeanclaude]
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HIT: Saint Laurent
"This was a pleasure to watch. Hate him all you want but he brings fashion EVERY SINGLE TIME. After two weeks of the most boring fashion shows in New York, London and Milan, THIS SHOW felt like a breath of fresh air. Love love love Vaccarello!" [Atelier17]
"Some of his best tailoring yet. Those opening coats with the exaggerated shoulder are quite strong and he's finally improving at the tailoring of his pieces. His strongest collections have been those that also reference Tom Ford's helm at YSL and this is no exception. He's doing the codes that Hedi established at the house better than Hedi is doing at Celine and previously did at YSL!" [reese06]
"I do enjoy Vaccarello at SLP, collection after collection! I always find very beautiful looks or pieces here or there; the show setting is always impeccable." [GivenchyAddict]
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MISS: Christian Dior
"Every season there's a new low for her to achieve and she always succeeds in doing that. This time it's just an essence of Zara with the Dior tags, nothing more. And the whole idea of SISTERHOOD coming from an expensive brand is just too ridiculous to write about that, leave alone Dior's fake feminism that somehow got lost in the last few season, and, unfortunately, now it's back." [perhydrol]
"Can’t believe she thought it was a good idea to let every single model wear that stupid hat." [mikel]
"They should fire her and just get Marc Jacobs or Alber Albaz. She is milking the whole Identity politics and gender equality thing down to its last drop, because there is no substance or beauty in her clothes." [disco54]
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HIT: Lanvin
"That coat on Kaia [Gerber] left me speechless; I would kill to own a piece like that in my wardrobe! Great transformation for Lanvin, bravo!" [GERGIN]
"It’s a beautiful collection with a lot of beautiful pieces. I love noisy garments and the dress with the hard fringes at the bottom was perfect. Lanvin right now is selling the kind of clothes they were selling under Alber. But this collection shows a desire to move on but also to give a new energy to the house." [Lola701]
"I love it so much, even though it is obviously an extension of Loewe. But that aesthetic is so up my alley that when done this beautifully, I can't be mad. The pieces are very well made, luxurious but still super casual [so] that they can be worn anywhere and perfectly withstand a day-to-night transition." [dodencebt]
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MISS: Mugler
"The last look is the worst I've seen this season so far. And actually it shows that Mugler should be closed after the departure of David Koma. They've been making the same looks because the creative director still hasn't found out what his Mugler should be about. It's just sad to watch because even that show screams BUDGET." [perhydrol]
"Abysmal. With all these celebs dragging out old Mugler and with an exhibit coming up ... it really makes this Casey dude’s work look so mediocre and uninspiring. Absolutely zero personality. No voice, no perspective, and certainly no understanding of Mugler." [dior_couture1245]
"What’s with the vomit print? Looks vile. And yeah, he has like zero inspiration and just throws random things together. " [Mrs.T]
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HIT: Jacquemus
"Gorgeous! Really love the colors. I think it's cool that he's moving away a bit from the flirty beach babe vibe from the last few collections and stepping into something a bit more elegant and layered. But it's still very him: womanly, confident, breezy. It's still remarkable how strong his vision is, the casting, the overall aesthetic, it's so crystal clear." [Marc10]
"Chic, solid, desirable, elaborated. Nothing much to complain [about] here. The accessories are better than ever and I L O V E the boots!" [ghostwriter10549]
"I actually love this collection. I’m sure Simon is sometimes looking at theFashionSpot because suddenly, it seems like he has a better pattern maker. In terms of execution, it’s his most achieved yet. Everything looks well made. I think what I love about Simon is how French, and not necessarily Parisian, his aesthetic is. Keep going, Simon!" [Lola701]
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MISS: Aalto
"This brand is like lukewarm dishwater to me. They throw a lot of gimmicks yet still manage to be very uninteresting. Plus, their fabrics and colors never look luxurious and elegant. It's a shame they took the name of a great architect and attached it to this crap." [rip_ian curtis]
"I hate the prints, they remind me of school office furnishings." [AnaD]
"Unoriginal ... some pieces remind me of early Demna [Gvasalia] at Balenciaga!" [KissMiss]
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HIT: Rochas
"I love what Alessandro Dell'Acqua has been doing at Rochas. (And No. 21, for the matter.) It's sophisticated and grown-up." [Yohji]
"So, so great. Beautiful, wearable clothes that make you want to run to the store to try on and buy!" [Sai]
"Elegant and chic ... how great are these hats?!" [Not Plain Jane]
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MISS: Maison Margiela
"OK, time to end this. Like, now." [TianCouture]
"I wish he could find a more Margiela way to deconstruct. His attempts often end up looking like Comme and Junya, highlighted even more by the shoes and Julien d’Ys hair!" [rip_ian curtis]
"Stripping away the theatrics is a good move, but this show isn't setting me on fire. It's not his best, but it's still good, and at least we can focus squarely on the clothes instead of gimmicks." [AnaD]
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HIT: Lemaire
"I don't think I'll ever tire of their aesthetic. And while I will probably never be able to afford any of their clothes, I will continue to buy his Uniqlo stuff instead. *sob*" [Yohji]
"It's beautiful, please make similar knock-offs at Uniqlo!" [disco54]
"It's this paradoxical talent to make utterly covered-up also totally sleek and sexy. I adore it all." [Not Plain Jane]
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MISS: Courrèges
"Who wants to dress like this now?" [tatouejeremie]
"This is a mess. A terrible mess. At this point, close the brand." [Lola701]
"If I were looking for a collection to wear as I jetted off in to space in my Sputnik spaceship then this would be perfectly serviceable. Unfortunately, the world we live in now has moved on and the solutions this collection offers are required by no one. Just close the brand and be done with it." [grimm]
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HIT: Chloe
"I must say I was backstage, seeing the clothing up close and personal, and it looked perfectly cut and of the highest, highest quality. The accessories were on-point like always with Chloé, even the boots looked amazing. For me this is what this brand is ... maybe a touch too plain for someone else's liking ... but I loved it!" [Scouting Snapper]
"The collection is better to see in motion. I love the prints of this season and the soft embroideries at the end. Both 2019's collections of Chloé by Natacha Ramsay-Levi are strong and wearable! In my opinion, she is getting better season after season." [Cecilou]
"I have grown to like Natacha's Chloé. She really gets the brand. There is something very Chloé and the flow that I enjoy in her vision of the Chloé girls." [TaylorBinque]
See all the looks from the Chloe collection. -
MISS: Ann Demeulemeester
"This looks so basic, especially for this brand. Also, satin for winter?" [AnaD]
"These big, billowing shapes would be great for a spring/summer collection, but for fall/winter? And, seriously, you can disregard personal safety when exiting Ubers or public trains in these dresses. Ann would never!" [engenius]
"This shows the importance of keeping the founder/designer at the helm!" [Sai]
See all the looks from the Ann Demeulemeester collection. -
HIT: Paco Rabanne
"This is fabulous." [tjasmine]
"Absolutely loving the direction Julien is moving Paco Rabanne in; the brand finally feels relevant and fresh again." [dodencebt]
"Amazing show. Very different from his previous collections but in a good way. Great prints!" [anlabe32]
See all the looks from the Paco Rabanne collection. -
HIT: Rick Owens
"Rick is very sexual for me, and this collection just confirmed it. I loved it. The last two collections are exactly what I expect from him. PFW delivers again!" [GivenchyAddict]
"Rick should do more sexy collections, this is spectacular!" [GERGIN]
"Ha, I was just saying wow this is probably Rick's sexiest collection, kinda shocking ... then comes the aliens. So good. Really love the simplicity; he always shines when focusing on cut." [Marc10]
See all the looks from the Rick Owens collection.
