Spring 2024 Accessories: Highlights From Paris Fashion Week
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
PARIS — “I’m loving daywear at the moment,” said Jonathan Anderson after parading his spring 2024 collection for Loewe here last week.
His unique take on white jeans, Oxford shirts, blazers, polo shirts, V-neck sweaters and trim coats was flanked by a series of terrific accessories that amplified not only his intense commitment to craft and knack for classic colors, but also enhanced the focus on daywear. Capacious bags and comfy flats were elevated with jewelry-like golden details and allover crystals, respectively, turning quotidian styles into statement pieces through simple tweaks.
More from WWD
Such an approach was shared by many brands that showed a new penchant for comfort and functionality this season, but without compromising style. In footwear, pointy toes, kitten heels and ballerina flats abounded on the runway in different iterations, ranging from Christian Dior’s multistrap renditions to the pointy mules seen at Valentino and Stella McCartney.
Another big trend was ‘90s minimalism, translated in essential sandals as seen at Coperni, Ottolinger and Mossi, to mention a few, as well as buyer-favorite jelly sandals from The Row. And what’s more minimal than flip-flops? Ask Chanel, which added black ones to its footwear offering next to logoed mary janes and shimmering ballerina flats. If Jennifer Lawrence descending the steps of Palais des Festivals wearing flip-flops under a red gown at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year is of any indication, they will be the ultimate frontier of red carpet dressing come next summer season.
Too minimal? Not to worry. Miuccia Prada served the best accessory to spice things up at Miu Miu, sending her cast out with colorful Band-Aids on their heels and toes to style her surfer take on sandals. Actually, the whole show offered a styling playbook in coolness with its anti-glamour vibe and undone attitude, like chunky heels nonchalantly shoved into multipocket handbags.
Other brands opted for a more discreet route by reworking bags in maxi proportions directly, ranging from the huge, trapezoidal bags seen at Marni and Christopher Esber to the roomy styles in supple leather or suede that abounded at The Row, Victoria Beckham, Chloè and Acne Studios, among others. These are all meant to be carried by hand or folded under the arm like a pillow.
Paris offered many inspirations in the accessories arena, even far from the runway. All these trends infiltrated the presentations and showrooms of both established brands and indie labels that further filled the city’s packed fashion calendar.
A few tweaks made for surprising additions on the themes, like pops of pastel hues in footwear; crafty techniques and unexpected materials in bags; graphic boldness in eyewear and a side of sustainable tie-ups that kept the collaboration game alive both on and off the catwalk.
Here, WWD rounds up some of the highlights.
Shoes: Mule Craze, Pastel Galore and ’90s Minimalism
Paul Andrew
After marking his return to New York Fashion Week with a takeover of the Rockefeller Center’s rink with a performance by professional roller-skate dancers, Paul Andrew traveled to Paris to display his new collection in a chic apartment. The designer, who relauched his eponymous brand last year, continued to build styles based on a mix of craft and high-tech details, a blend defining many of the codes that have become his signatures.
For one, Andrew continued to expand the designs marked by a sculptural and curvaceous heel that evokes the work of artists like Jean Arp and Constantin Brâncusi and are actually produced in an Italian sports-car factory. Only this season the distinctive metal heels were flanked by versions in wood for a more daily appeal, as well as rendered in a wide array of heights to second every occasion. It fit with an overall direction toward a more quotidian look and easier-to-approach designs, enhanced by a neutral color palette winking to the quiet luxury trend.
New elements in the collection also included silver zippers adorning the upper of leather mules or outlining the shape of pointy silhouettes; lightweight flat platform sandals; and a minimal spike heel in different heights marking mules and boots. For those still looking for a more eccentric piece, Andrew additionally developed arty plexiglass heels inspired by the glass artworks of Jochen Holz that elevated pointed slingback styles in silver or black vinyl.
Roger Vivier
At Roger Vivier, Gherardo Felloni rethought the modern slingback, too. The creative director has been pulling style references from the brand’s vast archives ever since he joined the company in 2018, but he might have fully hit his stride this season with the reintroduction of the Viv Canard style, named for its duckbill shape that comes from the ’60s.
“I decided to make it longer — but not too much,” he said. “Every time I take a last from the archives, I take a lot of attention to not ruin it, to not push it too far. If not, it becomes too seasonal, and I don’t like it. I like the idea that you buy shoes for the rest of your life. That’s the challenge.”
The Viv Canard appeared with modern kitten heels or slip-on mules with tiny buckle or bow details on the elongated toe, which tapered off into a narrow square. It came with mouth-watering patent shades of spearmint, periwinkle, lilac, pale yellow and baby pink.
Pastel hues were also seen at The Loubi Show, which displayed the designer’s latest collection flanked by a dancing performance. The Ginko pumps in baby blue and lilac stood out as they featured carved bronze heels resembling leaves, or flowers just about to bloom upward onto the shoe.
“I always love objet,” said Louboutin, who noted that he had spent “quite a long time” working to develop the leaves. “The inspiration was really a [Claude] Lalanne sort of feeling on the heels. It’s about something organic grabbing you, caressing you on the leg.”
In addition to the high-octane styles he is most associated with, the high-heel maestro also had a significant collection of lower heels in his version of the classic mary jane, done this time in black patent, metallics and allover strass.
Charles Jourdan
Heritage footwear brand Charles Jourdan continued to work on its relaunch, this time tapping Nicholas Kirkwood alum Charlotte Tarbouriech as a consultant. For spring 2024, the designer focused on an archival mule from the ‘60s with an inverted heel and hot-rod chrome-like accent. Updating the shoe for modern wear meant widening the heel a touch for more stability and taking down the metal accents — but keeping all the curves.
Pierre Hardy
Pierre Hardy is never one to work with unnecessary bells and whistles on his footwear, but for spring 2024 the shoe designer went even more minimal with a series of essential slingbacks in matte leather colors. They’re all named after ’90s supermodels — Linda, Stella and Amber — and featured kitten heels, mini wedges and stacked heels. “It’s all very sleek and pure and clean,” said the designer.
Neous
Speaking of the ‘90s, Neous continued to garner attention as a go-to brand for women looking for minimal accessories. Launched in 2016 by former Harper’s Bazaar UK editor and stylist Vanissa Antonious, the affordable luxury footwear brand made a name for itself with a clean aesthetic winking to the Bauhaus School and Mies van der Rohe’s less-is-more philosophy, best epitomized by the polished Phoenix crossbody leather bag accented by a gold egg-shaped closure. Yet for spring 2024, the shoe offering served some serious competition to the brand’s key style with a vast array of kitten-heeled slingbacks in mesh and lace, the Diana mule with exaggerated satin bow and Nenque sandal with elliptical intersecting shoe straps donning a circular motif over the foot and around the ankle.
Aeyde
Another entrepreneur who has repeatedly proven to know what modern women on the move want, Luisa Dames had consumers’ different needs covered in the new collection of Aeyde, the brand she established in 2015. The Berlin-based label that has accumulated consensus with its functional designs and sweet-spot prices displayed plenty of sleek, minimal designs, ranging from kitten-heeled mules and slingbacks to flat mary jane styles. Standout shoes included the Stina sandal oozing ‘90s appeal and crafted from extra-supple patent calf leather, which was particularly charming in a chocolate shade. Dames also surfed the ballerina trend quite literally with the Gabriella satin style with squared toe mirroring original ballet dance shoes.
Le Monde Béryl
Ballerina flats, slippers and mary janes are also at the core of Le Monde Béryl, the chic brand established by Lily Atherton Hanbury and Katya Shyfrin in 2016, after the duo with a background in art and jewelry design fields took a trip to Venice during the Art Biennale. Long strolls on the city’s cobblestones and up and down its many bridges inspired the founders to develop shoe styles that could be comfortably worn from day to night. They looked at the traditional Venetian gondoliers’ shoes to develop their own take on slippers, crafted from velvets, satins and suede, and targeting “women who want to travel light and far, looking elegant without carrying extra shoes in the bag,” said Atherton Hanbury. Highlights included mary jane styles in supple, deconstructed lambskin with one or double straps and metal buckles; the Luna leather slippers, also offered in a mesh version or soft suede, and ballerina flats in an intricate handwoven goatskin for a see-through effect.
13 09 SR
Comfort and functionality, but never without a touch of eccentricity: this has always been Serge Ruffieux’ recipe for the brand he launched with Emilie Faure in 2021, when he also took the helm of the shoe category at Emilio Pucci under the creative direction of Camille Miceli.
For spring 2024, Ruffieux added new styles inspired by the seabed for his eclectic collection of crafty flats developed using deadstock fabrics and leathers, ribbons and crystals. Cue pointy ballerina flats crafted in leather embossed with python and croco effects to evoke scales, in coral shades or hologram hues. The designer — who wrapped a three-season stint as creative director of Carven in 2018 — also offered designs with studs and leather harnesses; reworked his distinctive fringed moccasins with straps and buckles, and introduced python-like boots featuring the brand’s signature Egg heel.
Nomasei
Nomasei’s cofounders Paule Tenaillon and Marine Braquet took the mary jane concept to the max, multiplying straps on a new platform sandal dubbed “Frenchkiss.” Coming with a chunky heel and vinyl finish, the style added to the ‘70s inspired footwear world of the duo, which was also enriched by the new Driver platform sandal (the sister style of their signature Taxi design). This was offered in black, a new tangerine hue and even in off-white — inspired by requests from brides.
Both styles stood out in the pop-up store in the Marais district that Tanaillon and Braquet will soon open to the public and run for three months. The goal is to test the retail potential of the brand they launched at the end of 2019.
Giaborghini
In addition to presenting the capsule collections developed with Fai Khadra and Miaou’s designer Alexia Elkaim, Giaborghini displayed its main spring 2024 collection, which falls under the guidance of New York-based creative consultant, stylist and costume designer Kyle Luu. In sync with the season’s trend, the range included ‘90s-inspired designs, encompassing squared-toed mary jane flats in pastel colors and many kitten-heeled pointy mules, either accented by tiny buckles or double bows, and rendered in buttery or baby blue shades.
Adieu
Pastel hues infiltrated even the world of creepers, in the polished and unique renditions offered by Adieu’s founders Isabelle Guédon and Benjamin Caron. Since launching the Parisian brand in 2012, the duo became an authority in the category with its high-end take on loafers, derbies and brogue styles coming with chunky 3D rubber soles that confer edge to their timeless designs. For spring 2024, the duo reinterpreted some signatures like polished leather creepers, derbies and buckled brogue styles with unexpected combinations of pale pink, mint, ivory and zingy lime hues. The founders additionally introduced unisex sandal styles in suede or polished leather, all coming with platform rubber soles.
Maison Ernest
From the streets to the stage, a candy color palette was seen also at storied brand Maison Ernest. Originally known as Ernest Chausseur, the brand, tracing back to 1904 and known for supplying shoes to cabaret dancers, followed its first-ever show at the legendary nightspot Crazy Horse last season with another presentation-cum-performance at Théâtre du Gymnase. Product-wise, it continued its revamping process under the creative direction of Isabelle Bordji, who joined the company in 2012. In addition to seductive ankle booties and knee-high boots mixing leather and lace and featuring criss-cross details, Bordji introduced cheeky flats and PVC sandals with uppers nodding to bunny ears and outlined by candy-hued piping.
Nalebe
Nigerian-born, U.S.-based designer Amina Means made her debut at Paris Fashion Week with a vibrant collection that included updates to her signature Dimante pumps and bejeweled Aurum mules. Both styles were done in lower heels, more muted styles were also added to the collection, including a mule done in denim and crystals or colorful mesh. “The collection is evolving, but I want to stay true to my brand DNA,” said Means of the shift in silhouettes. “I never want to take away from the core of the collection, which is my culture.”
Bags: The Arts and New Crafts
Delvaux
Belgian handbag label Delvaux kept things arty for spring 2024, in a project that chief executive officer Jean-Marc Loubier defined as “mutualism” rather than a mere collaboration. The brand initiated a dialogue with Belgian artist Kasper Bosmans after Loubier crossed paths with his work during a visit to the WIELS Foundation last year.
The shared exploration of identity, culture and community — which Bosmans expresses for Delvaux in his graphic and bright art with elements such as crests, coats of arms, flags and banners — offered a starting point for a project that resulted in the reinterpretation of the artist’s codes by the Delvaux craftsmen. They translated the graphic elements into leather patchworks and rich embroideries on the brand’s staple designs, as seen best in the Brillant handbag, first introduced in 1958, or in the Cool Box embroidered style. Delvaux also partnered with the 500-year-old Aubusson atelier of Robert DuFour to weave an intricate tapestry into the Tempête Chimera, offering a unique take on its silhouette created in 1967.
Bulgari
Bulgari’s spring 2024 collection, titled “Roman Lights,” took cues from the Eternal City’s features as well as jewelry craft, all of which “connect to Rome in some way,” said Mireia Lopez Montoya, the house’s accessories business unit managing director. The jeweler “looked more than ever into our world in Rome, our inspirational city,” with many shades of marble, the “sanpietrini” cobblestones, rough diamonds and polished cabochons as well as Rome’s golden sunshine, becoming the surface embellishment for Serpenti bags galore. Shining brightest were the Serpenti Forever Top Handle Rays of Light with its cascade of six different embroidery styles; the iridescent and multitone lizard version of the Serpentine Mini Top Handle; and the Serpenti Forever Crystal Sparkle Top Handle Mini, a shape that shot to the brand’s bestseller list when it launched in 2022.
Joseph Duclos
“This year, I wanted to push back against the rising tide of churning out ‘new’ models every season, in a return to my philosophy of craft first and slow luxury,” said Ramesh Nair, who after making a name for himself at Hermès, Jean Paul Gaultier and Moynat, has undertaken a journey of exquisite craftsmanship at Maison Joseph Duclos.
The brand launched in 2021 to celebrate the legacy of entrepreneur Joseph Duclos, who in the 18th century combined three small tanneries in Lectoure, France, and earned the title of Royal Leather Manufacture by King Louis XV in 1754. Season after season, it has gradually expanded its range with new styles, but for spring 2024, the brand put the emphasis on further elevating existing styles with exotic skins and precious finishing. Cue the brand’s staple Diana bag in lizard with a mother-of-pearl effect, or clutches in lizard and alligator dusted with glitter and gold powder, respectively, for a shimmering result. Another rendition without finishing highlighted the natural pigmentation of lizard skin, making each on-demand piece one of its kind.
Manu Atelier
A crafty weaving technique defined the XL du Jour tote bag introduced by buzzy Turkish accessory brand Manu Atelier, which was launched by sisters Beste and Merve Manastır almost a decade ago. The new style was in sync with the comeback of bigger tote bags for everyday use seen on catwalks. To reinforce this shift, the label also debuted the “Tote du Jour” capacious design crafted in grained leather or soft suede and embellished by a metal buckle. Available in classic shades such as black, vanilla and taupe, it was particularly charming in a burgundy color.
Polomi
Essential designs with subtle yet precious embellishments define the pure aesthetics of Polomi Chande’s brand. Produced in Paris, her collection of leather goods aims to be “elegant but a little industrial, never frivolous or superficial,” as she put it, underscoring the central role that craftsmanship and the longevity of the product and its materials have in her company’s philosophy. To wit, it took Chande three years to perfect her bags and launch her first collection. Designs hinge on pared-back classic silhouettes in leather, enriched by jewelry-like hardware details in a nod to Chande’s family heirlooms — like her grandparents’ old watch straps, bracelet cuffs, earrings and statement pendants — as seen in the refined Nox style with metallic chain handle.
Published By
A regular fixture among the most exciting brands in Paris, Published By unveiled the X-Ray bag, crafted from cutting-edge heat reactive materials. The Austria-based label established in 2020 by Christoph Tsetinis and Ruby Wallen has rapidly made a name for itself for its sculptural and gender-neutral pieces and chromed accessories realized through processes borrowed from the automotive industry rather than fashion. For spring 2024, founders pushed the innovation envelope further by coating some of their brand’s hero styles in the heat-reactive material that enables users to switch their sleek black appearance into a pristine white style via a simple hand touch or change in temperature. The effect resemble skeletons when passing through an airport X-ray scanner.
Founders additionally introduced the new Puffer bag, a unisex style secured by a zipper in the back and nodding to belt bags used during raves in the early 2000s, which were Tsetinis’ main “source of both nostalgia and inspiration” for the new collection.
Marzook
Marzook’s founders Shouq and Fahad Al-Marzook also relied in a coup de theatre to revisit their signature minaudière bags. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand — which is known for its exuberant fan-shaped clutches and party-ready pieces covered in crystals and feathers — the duo developed essential clutches with a mother-of-pearl effect and crafted from a glow-in-the-dark acrylic material. They came in Marzook’s iconic pill-shaped design as well as in a trapezoidal silhouette. “We wanted to give love back to our clients,” said Shouq Al-Marzook holding a special, heart-shaped version, which is set to make a statement during a night out.
L/Uniform
As Jeanne Signoles’ brand L/Uniform nears its first decade, she wanted to put the accent on the crafts behind her functional-chic designs during the presentation held at the brand’s new headquarters and showrooms in a former architectural practice near the Luxembourg Gardens. Guests could touch the materials, see how the bags are being crafted, witness the quality control procedures and even try their hand at hot-stamping. As for novelties, Signoles is parsimonious in introducing new shapes, so the one for this season will be the brand’s first backpack, a lightly retro design that will come in the classic L/Uniform color range as well as a poppy cherry red.
Dentro
Isa Kauffman’s ultimate goal is to celebrate the craftsmanship behind her bags as well — but in her unique way. Ever since launching her brand Dentro in 2020, she does that by flipping handbags and revealing their hidden parts — like foam padding, reverse handles, stitching and threads left uncut — in a series of inventive, playful styles. This season she expanded her offering adding to the cylinder “Anona” and rectangular “Otto” bags, three new designs aimed at welcoming a more diverse and entry-level audience into her anarchic take on the product category.
The new styles included the “Inner” half-moon micro bag; the “Radar” baguette shoulder bag and the “Gag” cross-body style. Kauffman additionally introduced new vibrant colors and materials, such as neon grain napa leather, which added to the existing designs in paper, moire fabric or worked with metallics and cracked, lived-in effects that amplify the raw vibe of her aesthetic.
Eyewear: Graphic Vision
Akoni
Akoni’s craftsmanship is all in the details. The luxury eyewear brand released a strong collection leveraging its expertise in manufacturing statement sunglasses that combine superior acetate and lightweight titanium. Standout styles ranged from Eris-two, a sunglass named after the most rebellious of the Greek goddesses and featuring a ‘90s-inspired silhouette with octagonal lens and a juxtaposition of matte tones and polished titanium components, to Discovery, a take on classic aviators in acetate enriched with a contrasting metal top bridge.
Port Tanger
Bilal Fellah continued to build on Port Tanger’s distinctive bold acetate sunglasses through new frames beautifully handcrafted in Japan. The label, which he established in 2018, evokes the sun-drenched lifestyle of the Moroccan coastal city of Tangier and the cultural duality it represents, seen through a hyper-modern filter that results in pure, statement designs that are increasingly garnering international attention. Coming with evocative names like Noor, Ruh and Mektoub, these were hinged on geometric silhouettes that embrace and complement the natural contour of the face. Mainly rendered in classic solids and charming earthy tones, each pair features six points on each side to symbolize the brand’s pillars: appreciation of the past through nostalgia, tradition and craftsmanship and cherishing the future through hope, design and culture.
Ahlem
Ahlem eyewear is so achingly cool that rumor has it that Samuel L. Jackson bought his frames after spotting bespoke pairs on LeBron James. Riffing off her collaboration with Parisian fashion label Gauchere, founder Ahlem Manai-Platt explored her home city of Paris, playing with chunky acetate to capture the city’s architectural lines. There will also be versions adapted from James’ models.
Collaborations: Sustainable Tie-ups
Cecilie Bahnsen x Asics
At the Cecilie Bahnsen show, the label’s own designed shoes mingled with upcycled Asics sneakers that further strengthened the ongoing tie between the Danish designer and the Japenese activewear brand. The two parties have been collaborating for few seasons now, having joined forces on a limited upcycled selection of shoes for Bahnsen’s spring 2023 collection last year, when the designer added whimsical touches like floral embellishments to 50 pairs of deadstock sneakers. For spring 2024, the same motif was translated as black sequined flowers embroidered on matching sneakers, to evoke the combination of couture and hyper-feminine detailing with Asics’ technical and functional world.
Veja x Reformation
Another sneaker collab was served by sustainable fashion brands Veja and Reformation, which developed two sneaker styles made in Brazil from bio-based materials and boasting a retro look. Both retailing at 195 euros and launching this month, the designs differ only in color and the fabrication of the upper part. In the beige-hued version, this is made of J-Mesh, a resistant fabric made of 33 percent of jute and 67 percent of recycled cotton and featuring thermoregulatory and breathable properties. In the brown colorway, the upper is made of Alveomesh, a technical fabric fully made of recycled polyester and injecting flexibility and lightness to the shoes.
The remaining components include suede inserts coming from farms in Rio Grande do Sul and tanned in Brazil without using any hazardous or prohibited chemicals; lining and laces in recycled polyester; outsoles made of Amazonian rubber and midsoles crafted from 38 percent sugar cane.
Paraboot x Cahu
Pushing ever further into her idea of reasonable production, Clémence Cahu wanted to find a way to use the off-cuts of her PVC bag range — which now includes a dog carrier — in some way to further avoid waste. A chance conversation with 115-year-old French footwear company Paraboot led to a PVC-covered version of the Pacific sandal, a model initially favored by monks and perfect for walking long distances. Of course, a matching leather and PVC tote bag will also be on offer. Spring will also see the reintroduction of her Mamie lady bag, inspired by a grocery bag, with a smaller Kiki Mamie format.
– Shannon Adducci and Lily Templeton contributed reporting to this article.
Best of WWD
