New York has long been called “the city that never sleeps” but these days, that seems to be Paris. From men’s fashion week to Vogue World and couture week, the shows never stop! (As Lady Gaga once said: “Blood, sweat, and leather every night. No sleep! Bus, club, another club, another club, plane, next place, no sleep, no fear.”) To talk about all this fashion madness, Chloe and Chioma were joined on today’s episode by Vogue Runway’s Nicole Phelps.
This was Chloe’s first time at couture—or, as she put it, “Yesterday, the Schiaparelli show took my couture virginity!” Schiaparelli opened couture week in the basement of the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, an unusually dark location for a show, but a nod to a dream of Daniel Roseberry’s: to find a lost couture collection below Elsa Schiaparelli’s country house. Notably, the models made intense eye contact with guests, which Chloe found intimate and Chioma found unsettling (maybe it’s just the Briton in her). Chioma and Nicole also made it to Dior last night, at the Musée Rodin, which they both loved. Its marriage of Grecian dresses and modern sportswear served as a fitting nod to the upcoming Olympic games.
Chanel, which they all attended this morning, was a sophisticated affair at the Palais Garnier—an utter “bow-ment,” as pun queen Chloe exclaimed. The magic of fashion week was palpable in the opera house, where the clothes were at once elegant, feminine, and wearable, the models sun-kissed and glowing. With the recent announcement of the departure of Chanel creative director Virginie Viard, the fashion world is still aflutter with speculations about what’s next for the maison—but for now, Chanel is very much as it’s been. Runway shows are always a multisensory experience, and Nicole enjoyed the musical selections at the show enough to Shazam them. (Check out “Sympathy” by Rare Bird.)
Nicole and Chioma also gush over one of the more emotional moments of the weekend (and not just because of their jetlag): the final Dries Van Noten show. Held outside of Paris, at a factory he showed in back in 2005, it began with a cocktail hour, which Dries and his partner attended. Then, at around 10 p.m., the curtains opened up to a silver leaf-strewn runway, another reference to a past show. Nicole’s biggest takeaway from the show was that while it was a goodbye (at least for now), the collection was not overly nostalgic, instead embracing the inventive and optimistic spirit that’s always been a Dries signature. For a more in-depth review of the show, an examination of Dries’s career, and a lovely conversation between Nicole and Luke Leitch, see here.
The shows continue tonight with Armani Privé, and tomorrow with Demna’s Balenciaga showing. And maybe Chioma will find time to squeeze in some vintage shopping? Bonne chance!