Paris Fashion Week is officially over and it has been nothing short of an extravaganza from start to finish. To kick-start the week, Anthony Vaccarello staged his Saint Laurent show underneath the starry Parisian sky with an illuminated Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. Midweek front row attendees witnessed Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s triumphant first Chloe collection as well as Olivier Lapidus’ nightmarish Lanvin debut, followed by Clare Waight Keller’s highly-anticipated first Givenchy outing. To top it all off, Karl Lagerfeld erected ceiling-high waterfalls inside the Grand Palais as the backdrop for Chanel‘s latest collection.
Per usual, our forum members didn’t hold back as they debated all the successes and failures of the week. Without further ado, here are the hits and misses of the Spring 2018 season in Paris. Au revoir fashion month!
Images: Imaxtree
PFW Hits & Misses 1
-
HIT: Valentino
"Romantic, lively, well-constructed. One of the top five collections of the season, easily." [HeatherAnne]
"Really lovely collection, better than his past couple in my opinion. Very lovely dresses; the collection as a whole felt very fresh as well. Bravo!" [bluestar]
"That asymmetric dress with the ruffle on one shoulder (look 58) is to die for! Valentino's runways are so much more alive now that Pierpaolo is doing it alone." [AnaD]
-
MISS: Celine
"I'm tired of the oversized fit. There are looks that seem too much, like living in tents instead of wearing clothes. Phoebe has lost her touch to me. I don't see anything desirable here. Years ago her collections were amazing. It's sad." [jeanclaude]
"If you pull in the audience any tighter, they'll be on top of the models. It's difficult to see the clothes. Yeah, it's heavy for spring/summer and busy too. I love that olive green leather jacket with the drawstring though. But this collection as a whole isn't thrilling me." [Not Plain Jane]
"The Demna tailored vests with those awful grandma shirts were a disgrace, they looked so dusty and unfashionable in the worst way possible like something I could dig out of my overweight sixty-something aunt's closet." [YohjiAddict]
-
HIT: Chanel
"I like this, it looks kind of fresh, fashion has been very lazy lately, designers barely care about design, I appreciate this coming from Chanel." [zacatecas570]
"Love, love, love! His best collection lately. It's very HIS Chanel, if that makes sense. The pastels, the black and white - but made very fresh. Also I'm a sucker for blue and white. Good job Karl." [gazebo]
"Nothing can define Paris Fashion Week better than a Chanel show. It just oozes timeless Paris fashion." [congacon]
-
MISS: Balenciaga
"Nothing new and exciting. It's just the same silhouette but with different patterns or fabrics. I still don't understand the hype around Demna. I really wonder what makes so many designers so lazy these days." [GreyVetiver]
"Designer Crocs ... now I've seen everything." [fashionista-ta]
"Getting worse each season, it's like he's trying to see how far he can actually go with his trashy clothes. How much more of this ugliness is the fashion world willing to swallow??" [liberty33r1b]
-
HIT: Louis Vuitton
"Absolutely loved it! His most creative and most romantic collection at LV to date! It was also very classic Ghesquière! A lot of the shapes and the baroque pieces reminded me of his time at Balenciaga!" [ToniOrtega]
"Surprisingly one of my favorite shows of the season!" [RedSmokeRise]
"Pretty much the best thing he's done at LV so far. I don't think the still pictures capture the clothes too well - on the livestream, they looked very breezy and lightweight." [StoneSkipper]
See all the looks from the Louis Vuitton collection. -
MISS: Givenchy
"A bit disappointing. While all the pieces of the collection itself are very good, the whole thing felt kinda soulless and lacking direction. She just threw a bunch of clothes together in such a blunt and cold way." [Marc10]
"It's boring, and so safe. What am I supposed to be gripped by here? What am I supposed to remember?" [HeatherAnne]
"Oh I wish the rumours that she left Chloe to take care of her children were true. This is uninteresting, some looks are so basic and annoying that I don't understand how she thought that they deserved to be shown." [GivenchyAddict]
-
HIT: Comme des Garçons
"Rei and Comme have always been too conceptually challenging for me to process, always lost for words. The dress with Giuseppe Arcimboldo's painting of Vertumnus is phenomenal!" [TheoG]
"It really is her best in quite some time. What's so good about this is the sheer fun you can tell she had while making, the same fun they usually have on Homme Plus but rarely on the main line. It's pop, upbeat, kinda girly and pretty, but slightly macabre for good measure. Just magic." [Marc10]
"Perfect! Less abstract, less pretentious and much more fun! Even if the shapes are less extreme and surprising than before, it still has that energy and craftsmanship that we all love from CDG." [Lola701]
-
MISS: Alexander McQueen
"What a nightmare. She is rivaling Dolce & Gabbana in the repetition stakes." [Yohji]
"Sarah Burton is insufferable. This kind of fashion is just totally depressing and feels like an absolute waste. She's a decorator. McQueen was an architect. Not only that, her taste level is so pedestrian." [dior_couture1245]
"She's making the brand less and less relevant. And it's not like it's ugly (OK, some looks are truly horrible) but it's just the same thing all over again. It's her 7th year actually and she seems to forgot about the founder of the house she's been working for." [perhydrol]
-
HIT: Yohji Yamamoto
"At an age when a lot of people are phoning it in, I'll always appreciate Yohji for still pushing forward." [RedSmokeRise]
"So, so good. I always look forward to his shows and he never disappoints! I love the sheer bits, and the slightly sexier silhouettes. I love the jackets toward the end of the show, and those tight, almost corset-like tops worn over the mesh sweater and the vest." [AnaD]
"Yes. I can't explain why...but I feel more of an affinity to this collection than many of his recent ones. It's very 'sexy' for Yohji, maybe it's the sense of ease in a lot of the looks. Love the hats as well." [Fiercification]
-
MISS: Stella McCartney
"That's a whole lot of ugly." [dfl-001]
"The best outfit was the one Stella came out wearing LOL." [disco54]
See all the looks from the Stella McCartney collection. -
HIT: Junya Watanabe
"Fantastic how he took super traditional and usually boring fashion prints and patterns, threw them on acid and reshaped them in those awesome proportions. Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic..." [Marc10]
"Gosh the prints, exquisite! It's loud and violently graphic but it's absolutely fabulous. As someone who spent her teens in raccoon eyeliner, plastic jeans, a plaid moto jacket, and a spiked bob, this went straight to my heart. I'd wear everything here in a heartbeat." [AnaD]
"Oh Junya my love! This is exquisite. What I love the most about Watanabe is that he is always doing the same theme but he nails it each time." [Lola701]
-
MISS: Miu Miu
"It is both heartbreaking and infuriating to me watching what Miuccia decided to do with Miu Miu. What was once one of the most exciting, creative, thought-provoking brands in the circuit became an exercise of appalling styling, bland kitschness, and predictable ideas and references. I'm really just gonna pretend the brand was shut down and rejoice on its past glory." [Marc10]
"Her worst collection so far." [Fashionstuff]
"Some pieces here and there are good, but the overall collection doesn't seem to have a vision or creativity. A real shame to see what Miu Miu has become." [apple]
See all the looks from the Miu Miu collection. -
HIT: Undercover
"What a wonderful concept, using doppelgängers to show the clothes, which is similar but different, just like twins. Very uncanny. And since I love Cindy Sherman, I definitely want one of those dresses, and those flesh coloured jeans with the frill down the sides - COOL." [Not Plain Jane]
"God bless Jun and the unshakable sense of fantasy. You have no idea how much it's needed right now. Fantastic collection, fantastic show. This puts a big fat smile on my face." [Marc10]
"I love this entirely. The concept is fantastic, while the clothes are really interesting. I wouldn't wear everything here but there are some spectacular pieces." [AnaD]
-
MISS: Altuzarra
"You can take the trash out of America but you can't take the trash out of him. Get your Ego in check and go back to New York where you belong!" [GivenchyHomme]
"The first part of this collection seems to say 'Hey French executives, hire me!! I can design like Ghesquière, see?' This belongs to New York, no matter how hard he insists on going abroad..." [jeanclaude]
"Oh no. He's great with shape, but this collection leaves me feeling the same as Givenchy...stuff made for a showroom not a show." [gossiping]
-
HIT: Loewe
"I thought it was brilliant! I love what JW is doing at Loewe, reminds me of Yohji and Andre Walker (two masters of the craft). Everything looked beautifully designed and easy to wear. BRAVO!!" [maxlinden]
"I love LOEWE and this is already one of my favorite shows of the season. I love the dresses and coats, the play on the Logo and the fact that he put the fisherman jeans on the runway." [Lola701]
"I love the work he's doing for Loewe. I can't explain why, but I just do." [Yohji]
-
MISS: Nina Ricci
"Nina Ricci in its entirety is very unnecessary, it's not going anywhere... no one cares. Just shut it down." [tatouejeremie]
"Oh man, I've been a big fan of his up until this point, but this is pretty moronic. Can nobody design sexy clothes for women anymore? I give up." [HeatherAnne]
"This collection is really weak. It's just too serious and it killed all the potential fun. I don't know why they decided to do those big shoulders because they look ridiculous. And those feathers... instead of fun and lightness they give us a mess." [perhydrol]
-
HIT: Ann Demeulemeester
"Fabulous! B&W can be so colorful when done right. It's a very light, easy and effortless take on A.D. Less severe. Great direction." [gazebo]
"Finally, slinky fabrics! Very beautiful show...and the styling is spot-on!" [Lola701]
"Hands down, I would wear everything here. I love it." [AnaD]
-
MISS: Haider Ackermann
"I am being thrilled and interested by Haider less and less." [Salvatore]
"Add some Lanvin logos; and this could be part of Lapidus' debut collection. So basic!" [jeanclaude]
"Predictable. Not particularly interesting. And worst of all, I just don't get any impression of what he is trying to say with this collection? To be honest, his most recent collection for Berluti was miles more compelling, gorgeous, attractive and aspirational than what we're seeing here." [dior_couture1245]
-
HIT: Issey Miyake
"So lovely! I adore the Earth theme and the prints." [StoneSkipper]
"Fantastic collection! The prints were so beautiful and I adore the pleats." [maxlinden]
"Oh wow... a futuristic fever dream." [Not Plain Jane]
-
MISS: Rick Owens
"God, Owens must be doing so well just to showcase his horrible draping tryouts again... This is the worst thing he has ever showed. Really." [IloveDiorHomme]
"A joke of a collection." [mepps]
"After such a beautiful and strong menswear show I am incredibly disappointed with this collection. There were a few looks that I was drawn to but most of it looked too conceptual." [maxlinden]
See all the looks from the Rick Owens collection. -
HIT: Maison Margiela
"I simply love Galliano's Margiela." [Fashionstuff]
"Always one of the most interesting collections each season! His work at Margiela is always creative, fascinating and unique, it's really a joy to look at." [Nomar]
"This show fueled me in energy this morning. Galliano has made so exquisite pieces and from previous chaos emerged delicate pieces. I just wanna discover the details where you can see his precious soul." [CholoChic]
See all the looks from the Maison Margiela collection. -
MISS: John Galliano
"Who designs for this house? It's a travesty that John Galliano doesn't have creative control of his own name. Whatever they paid him was not worth it." [mepps]
"What I wanna know is how is this brand still a thing, WHO is buying this stuff???" [mistress_f]
"Very tragic." [Scotty]
-
HIT: Saint Laurent
"Ugh, it pains me to admit it but I love this. It's so tacky that it's actually good. It's that mix of old-time sexiness with how people (who appreciate this type of clothes) want to dress today that really sells it for me." [dodencebt]
"Fabulous is the word! It's been a while since you hear this when someone describes a collection. I miss this over-the-top attempt at shameless glamour. Give me more poufs and feathers! Because occasionally I would like to be entertained by this kind of fashion fantasy instead of wondering whether my taste level is out of date because I don't understand brands like Vetements." [FND74]
"I really love it. I think this is his best collection yet. It feels more confident, more focused and also more elevated than his previous ones." [Lola701]
See all the looks from the Saint Laurent collection. -
MISS: Hermes
"Soulless boring clothes... At those prices, you need a little bit more than expensive fabrics and luxurious aura of the house to sell garments." [Lola701]
"Boring silhouette. I get that Hermes is not about extreme in any way (except for luxury), but she should think how a silhouette and elements of an outfit could make a more lasting impact." [rip_ian curtis]
"I'll pass this season I'm afraid. I'll opt for Lemaire instead." [Vitamine W]
See all the looks from the Hermes collection. -
HIT: Jacquemus
"Loved the collection, very 1930s/1980s movie star on a Caribbean holiday. Jacquemus is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands." [maxlinden]
"This is SO good! It makes me excited about fashion, which is extremely rare these days." [gazebo]"Splendid showing! It's so French, Marseille yet Martinique. You could go anywhere in these clothes. Jacquemus has steadily progressed as a designer and it's a thrill to watch." [TheoG]
See all the looks from the Jacquemus collection. -
MISS: Off-White
"Can someone remind me why is this popular?" [dontbeadrag]
"Atrocious. Don't get his hype. Like... why is everybody so crazy about him? He is as basic as it gets and has no talent at all. What a joke." [Creative]
"I can barely remember his past collection by the time the new one pops up, which speaks volumes about the quality of his work. I thank god he didn't get the Givenchy job, he's clearly not capable of going beyond his fuccboi origins. This is just a pretty piece of nothing and his attempts at eveningwear are a disgrace." [YohjiAddict]
-
HIT: Olivier Theyskens
"Love it! So cool, so sexy, so freaking fabulous!" [AnaD]
"Olivier knows exactly what he's doing, and it's working beautifully. Love this collection, and I think most women who appreciate beautifully constructed clothes will love it. Not every house needs to be huge and trendy." [mepps]
"Intriguing collection." [liberty33r1b]
See all the looks from the Olivier Theyskens collection. -
MISS: Christian Dior
"Is she f*cking serious with this sh*t!? Such a disappointment. Seriously, what the actual f*ck was that??" [ThatDudeOverTher]
"Completely underwhelming and forgettable." [nataliaapple]
"I miss the drama, the glamour, the inventiveness of the past Dior. This new collection, like all of hers, is just hollow and stale and devoid of any passion. This looks like H&M. So basic and too casual. Very sad." [pollyanna90]
See all the looks from the Christian Dior collection. -
HIT: Lemaire
"Oh the shiny bits are freaking divine and the rest is lovely too. He continues to make clothes I'd happily wear." [Not Plain Jane]
"Thank god for some Lemaire class and sanity...for those who don't want to look like an exhibitionist best of seventies-eighties-nineties fashion victims." [Zazie]
"OMG those prints are to die for." [Creative]
See all the looks from the Lemaire collection. -
MISS: Balmain
"Can't hide ugly clothes behind a supermodel cast." [mathiaskatz]
"This guy is unable to make a spring/summer collection, it seems he loves to make women sweat. There are dresses which look as heavy and suffocating as a copper scuba helmet." [jeanclaude]
"The first few looks gave me hope of a new look for Balmain, but it lost steam pretty quickly. It's so much of the same, but I completely hate the last section, it just looks so heavy and ungainly. The whole show would be better without that part, since for the most part I don't find it that bad. It could use some serious editing and better styling though." [AnaD]
See all the looks from the Balmain collection. -
HIT: Chloe
"What a beautiful collection... the pieces are modern, fresh yet very wearable. The Chloe brand resonates in the collection as well, so she did perfect for her debut!" [Zposen]
"Wow, I actually like this, it feels very fresh and different. To me, it's like a hybrid of LV and McQueen, an unusual combination but it works here. The clothes look classic but also futuristic at the same time?" [Nomar]
"LOVE THIS! This collection is fabulous and very Parisian, something that wasn't really the case at Chloe for a long time. This reminds me a bit of the Paulo Melim Andersson days (that I still love to this day). It has a vintage feel without being too nostalgic and it has a charm to it." [Lola701]
See all the looks from the Chloe collection. -
MISS: Lanvin
"If anyone was needing a key moment to fall out of love with fashion, this just might be it. Heartbreaking, honestly." [Marc10]
"It looks like it should be hanging on the rack at JCPenney." [dfl-001]
"Forget the clothes, I can't look past those shoes. They are an abomination." [Yohji]
See all the looks from the Lanvin collection. -
HIT: Paco Rabanne
"He really pushed himself and delivered his sexiest collection. The cut is very sensual and I kinda feel like the cast doesn't embody the spirit of the collection even if I know that the disconnect is deliberate." [Lola701]
"He finally got rid of sportswear which wasn't that great at Rabanne. As a whole it feels quite strange to see some hints of glamour here, I would never expect that but it works and feels incredibly fresh." [perhydrol]
See all the looks from the Paco Rabanne collection. -
MISS: Dries Van Noten
"Not really one of my favorites from him. I don't mind that he essentially rests on his laurels, because hey, his formula works really well and he always produces beautiful clothing, but this isn't one of those Dries collections where every facet of his signature comes together to remind me of just how fantastic he is at doing what he does." [Spike413]
"Autopilot, no magic to be found." [Nymphaea]
"Oh Dries... Sometimes you just kill me with boredom." [ghostwriter10549]
See all the looks from the Dries Van Noten collection. -
HIT: Y/Project
"What a solid and interesting collection filled with creativity. Martens is such an exciting young designer with so much potential." [Nomar]
"I looked through this one last night and I have to say that this is one of the most erotic collections of the season. All the pearl-strewn flesh coloured tulle reminds me of dermal threading, those harness-looking pull tabs, folds of transparent fabric swirling around the breasts and thighs like a Renaissance painting... a few of the tops even had crystallized nipple piercings! It's odd, but I like that subtly sexy, somewhat kinky undertone." [AnaD]
"Well anyhow, I like the blood-red rose dress. Yes indeed. I want to walk in somewhere wearing that and then announce 'my love is a red red rose.'" [Not Plain Jane]
See all the looks from the Y/Project collection. -
MISS: Guy Laroche
"Oh Lord. This collection is ridiculous. It's like a cliché of MODERN CLOTHING. A cliché from the early 00s. That's why it looks dated. Those pieces with words are truly awful, even that font is really bad." [perhydrol]
"Thank god it was so short, we would have had to endure more of this farce! This was ridiculous from beginning to end." [AnaD]
"The wigs. The collection. The casting. LOL." [GivenchyAddict]
See all the looks from the Guy Laroche collection. -
MISS: Koché
"A football T-shirt with a flower brooch...just when I thought the level of creativity was as low as possible in the industry, here comes another brand that surpasses my lowest expectations." [jeanclaude]
"Well the PSG fan in me is very pleased! But yeah this really isn't her best offering." [Marc10]
See all the looks from the Koché collection.
