Paris Fashion Week showcases 107 houses in 9 days

Paris is the center of the world’s globalized luxury industry this week, with ready-to-wear shows kicking off on Tuesday at Paris Fashion Week, including Saint Laurent and Dior. These Parisian powerhouses are among 107 brands showing their Spring/Summer 2023 collections. Here are some highlights:

Sartorial met aquatics on Tuesday at Botter’s collaborative show with crisp lapels, jackets and poetic expression. They were decorated with bright costumes.

Bold sneakers—again in bright colors—are contrasted with trendy suits, sometimes with marbled lines reminiscent of sea creatures’ tentacles.

Distressed double denim continued the underwater vibe on one male model, who strutted down the runway wearing a blue knit full-face mask and clear balls on his arms. It made him look like he was attacked by a jellyfish. Or was Rashemi Boter and Lizzy Herebro’s show another dig at the coronavirus pandemic?

WAKER BRINGS THE STAR-STRIPED TO PARIS

A flash of American funk graced Paris during fashion week on Monday, a day reserved for newcomers. Vaquera, who rose to prominence five years ago in New York with a US flag dress with a massive train, moved across the pond this season to become a flash.

Designers Patrick DiCaprio and Bryn Taubenzi mixed their edgy styles with looks that took a more commercial spring-summer direction. Distressed denim, punk opulence and corsetry from Vivienne Westwood’s heyday and touches of Americana — like a loose, shiny biker jacket — defined the 31-look show, which often sold out.

The US flag returned to the runway, here in the form of a sheer shawl that led down to a gorgeous parachute skirt that flew on a balloon.

LANCOME LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

The first major party of the season celebrated one of the most iconic perfume and cosmetic brands in Paris: Lancome.

On Monday evening, a stone staircase bathed in multicolored light led VIP guests, including model Noémi Lenoir, to the grand ballroom of the Petit Palais on the banks of the Seine River.

This season, Lancome, owned by L’Oreal, celebrated the 10th anniversary of its best-selling French perfume “La Vie Est Belle” — or “life is beautiful.” Victoria’s Secret model Sarah Sampaio also hit the party at the famous art museum in a black frilled mini.