At Paris Fashion Week, women designers were the main event
Standout shows from Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton and Miu Miu’s Miuccia Prada showed the importance of female design talent on the fashion month roster.
Paris Fashion Week closed as a week of milestones for female designers.
The reverence for women-led creativity was visible at Alexander McQueen. It was the farewell show of outgoing creative director Sarah Burton, who started two decades ago as the right-hand woman of Mr. McQueen himself – known as one of fashion’s trailblazing talents before his tragic death in 2010. Since then, Burton has carried on McQueen’s risk-taking legacy by creating clothes that are equally striking and wearable; her spring/summer 2024 range featured elegant tailoring and gowns made comfortable through loose skirts and stretchy material. Curve models were also included to represent women outside fashion model sizing.
The announcement of Burton’s successor, male designer Sean McGirr, raised questions about the label’s direction among her many female fans, but the rapturous applause at the end of her final show signalled that Burton’s legacy would live on.
Meanwhile, two of the biggest brands to show were helmed by women and interpreted the sensibilities of a modern wardrobe in different ways. The first was Chanel, where 1920s French Riviera summers were on the mood board, in line with the enduring outlook of creative director Virginie Viard, who’s helmed the brand since 2019. Before her, Karl Lagerfeld helped Chanel become one of the most famous brands in fashion, and while Viard’s approach is certainly more understated, one can’t say the clothes aren’t inherently realistic for women; take the loose-fit trousers, and gauzy party dresses with room for movement, apt for swishing around at summer parties. Chanel’s clothes are designed by women, with women in mind, and it’s clear this approach is working in Viard’s favour.
Then, there was Miu Miu. Designer Miuccia Prada introduced the label in 1995 as a spin-off of larger brand Prada, but it’s since become a force on its own; in July, Miu Miu reported a 50 per cent increase in sales year on year, given the popularity of its accessories and miniature skirts. If there’s ever a show where quirkiness can be expected, it’s Miu Miu, and this season was no different; board shorts, polo shirts and even swimming togs were among the varied offerings. Though eccentric and off-beat, the clothes presented a unique ease and comfort, as did the bags, which featured shoes and clothing poking out to represent the metropolitan woman – the kind of perceptiveness that clearly stemmed from a female designer’s brain.
Fashion week is now over, but there’s still more to look forward to. This week, British designer Phoebe Philo, who made Celine one of the world’s most coveted brands, released the October 30 launch date for her new, self-titled label. The buzz around it will surely satisfy fashion aficionados until haute couture season, which starts in January.