The Best Looks From Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024
Acne Studios
Acne Studios brought the party to L’Observatoire de Paris, debuting its SS24 collection against the backdrop of an enormous, shattered disco ball. An electronic soundtrack transformed the runway into a dance floor—a space of relinquished inhibitions and liberation, which served as guiding themes in designer Jonny Johansson’s creative process. The collection was rife with signature house motifs such as cracked leather and acid wash denim, but balanced by romantic chiffon draping and flowy silhouettes. This raw-edged, yet feminine essence was further conveyed through allusions to photographer Katerina Jebb’s “Physical Evidence of a Woman,” which captures the packs of false eyelashes, jumbled heaps of pantyhose, and other trinkets that a busy woman leaves in her wake. With another impressive showcase, Acne once again proved that there is beauty in the unfiltered and imperfect.—Elena Plumb, freelance fashion assistant
Acne Studios
Acne Studios
Undercover
This season, Jun Takahashi of Undercover explored what it means to grieve, both privately and publicly. All of the looks were either sheathed in delicate silk or constructed in such a way to expose what’s underneath. The opening pieces were gossamer-thin, with ephemera placed in between layers, showing what we gather over time, whether flowers, cards, or even spiders. The finale dresses contained blooms and insects, and then the lights went off, revealing dresses that were carrying terrariums with live butterflies inside, because sometimes we need a little extra life and joy.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
Undercover
Undercover
Dries Van Noten
Thank God for Dries Van Noten. His unflappable approach to dressing women has garnered him cult status and a flock of customers who trust that he will deliver on pieces that stand the test of time. For spring, he looked at preppy staples like chinos, rugby shirts, and cable-knit sweaters and turned them into slightly perverse, undone pieces that mixed and matched to brilliant effect. His color combinations still remain the best in the game, and he meets the season of “real clothes” with an answer that is, yes, shoppable and wearable, but also proposes genuinely novel ideas without losing sight of his core customer.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
Dries Van Noten
Dries Van Noten
Marni
With Marni’s newest line, creative director Francesco Risso asks: Who says you can’t have it all? Stripes and plaid, outrageous silhouettes and micro hemlines, transparent and leather—Risso makes room for all of it. To quote the show notes, these style elements “[have] always been there and yet we found them again. And loved them again, obsessively.” That fervent rediscovery came across in a collection that’s simply energetic. Just when you grow tired of suiting in the palatial parlor, the presentation evolves to a floral finale outside in the garden. A lively procession of colors, textures, and most of all, shapes, this show was anything but bland.—Meg Donohue, associate fashion commerce editor
Marni
Marni
The Row
Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are not interested in creating complicated clothes. Yes, they’re technically masterful and intensively studied, but the wardrobe they’ve built over the last decade is one of elegant ease. The two continued down the path of casual chic this season with jelly shoes, waifish windbreakers with sequined sleeves peeking through, and stunningly realized suiting that doesn’t require much thought or effort. In the end, it’s one of those shows you can instantly see yourself imitating (and buying). The fresh fruit and snacks served outside didn’t hurt, either.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
The Row
The Row
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent’s latest from creative director Anthony Vaccarello brought the safari to the Place du Trocadéro. The Amelia Earhart-infused collection stood out against the marbled backdrop with its muted earth tones and long, clean lines. The best cargo pants we’ve seen all season were contrasted by transparent long sleeves, leather gloves, and sturdy jewelry. The assortment definitely harkened back to Yves Saint Laurent’s late ’60s obsession with safari jackets, but with a modern touch only Vaccarello can achieve. The series of flouncy finale dresses drove home one of his airiest collections to date.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent
Dior
Whatever the hot pink and lemon yellow pop-punk set would have led you to believe about what Dior SS24 had in store, it was the opposite. The looks—mainly blacks, grays, and other cool-toned neutrals—felt sophisticated and edgy, comprised of mostly blouses and skirting. These dichotomies are more interesting under the lens of creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s inspiration: the distinction between feminism and femininity. What expectations are there for womenswear, and what happens if they’re defied? Surprised to see tie-dye on a Dior runway? Me too. But this collection is for the rebellious ones.—Meg Donohue, associate fashion commerce editor
Dior
Dior
Peter Do
Brooklyn-based designer Peter Do already took over New York Fashion Week with his debut collection for Helmut Lang, so for his namesake label, he crossed the ocean, naturally. The collection was everything we’ve come to love about Do’s work: sensual minimalism, replete with his take on the white shirt, crisp tailoring in satins and dense wools, plus liquid dresses and tops with striking red accents. He also teased his upcoming collaboration with Banana Republic on the runway. Do is booked and busy this year, that’s for sure.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
Peter Do
Peter Do
Vaquera
Who’s having more fun abroad than Vaquera? The New York-based brand run by duo Bryn Taubensee and Patric DiCaprio has been showing in Paris for the last few seasons, and its runway provides a much-needed kickoff for the week. The label’s denim was on full display, smartly mixed in with massive shirt dresses, shrunken polos, scintillating belts, and bras made out of sunglass lenses, distressed ballgowns, ridiculously large fur hats, and Lady Gaga-style eyewear that commands immediate attention. The genius lies in how fully the customer decides to commit to the fantasy—but eyes will be on you regardless, and “Attention” by Doja Cat.—Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate
Vaquera
Vaquera
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