Peter Do To Exit Helmut Lang After Less Than Two Years

Peter Do is departing Helmut Lang, the brand and the designer announced today. “I want to express my gratitude to my Helmut Lang team who have been integral in supporting my vision,” said Do in a statement. “It’s been an incredible journey to be tasked to carry on the legacy of Helmut Lang.” Kazumi Yanai, the chairman of Helmut Lang, said: “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Peter for his exceptional creative leadership and vision and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.”

Do joined the cult label last year, presenting his first collection at New York Fashion Week for spring/summer 2024 to a mixed reception. A sophomore show followed in February, which received warmer reviews but still didn’t quite capture the elusive appeal of the brand and its much mythologised founder.

The brand skipped fashion week altogether in September, and has yet to show a spring/summer 2025 collection. He is not the only designer who has struggled to reboot the dormant label. Helmut Lang was founded in 1986 by the self-taught Austrian designer, and has passed through many hands since he left in 2005 to focus on his art practice.

A resurrection was first attempted in 2007 when it was acquired by Link Theory Holdings (now part of Fast Retailing) from the Prada Group, with Michael and Nicole Colovos hired as creative directors. The design duo buffed away the edginess of the label, sending it down a more contemporary path. They departed in 2014, after which the label was managed by an in-house team until Isabella Burley, the then editor-in-chief of Dazed, was hired as an “editor-in-residence.” Burley tapped Shayne Oliver, the much-lauded Hood By Air founder, in 2017 to design a spring/summer 2018 collection, which was heralded as a great collection, if not a faithful Helmut Lang offering. Mark Thomas and Thomas Cawson followed in 2019, departing after presenting a spring/summer 2020 collection.

Do’s appointment was the company’s first attempt at leveraging its high-fashion beginnings since Oliver’s one-off. It was tough going. He had to deal with an industry hyper-focused on Lang and his omnipresent archive, together with an impossible-to-satisfy fan base.

What the industry and OG Helmut Lang followers failed to recognise in their criticism of Do’s approach – which did keep the designer’s archive top of mind – is that the Helmut Lang brand is, today, not a founder-led label, but a global brand. Much of what made Helmut Lang ineffably cool at its peak in the ’90s and ’00s is that it remained one of Lang’s most compelling art projects as opposed to what it is now, a product and consumer-first fashion brand. Do’s role was to make it function as a brand in the era of viral products and celebrity dressing and It-bags, which is itself the antithesis of the Helmut Lang ethos. Do had continued working on his eponymous collection, having moved his shows to Paris since starting at Helmut Lang. Should he choose to return to NYFW, the city will be happy to have him back.

Kate Moss Makes Her Victoria’s Secret Debut At 50

When the first Victoria’s Secret show was held back in the ’90s, Kate Moss was busy being the poster girl for the decade’s grunge movement: smoking backstage at Isaac Mizrahi shows and joining Johnny Depp on the red carpet in minimal make-up and a messy bun. When it became a televised event in the early Aughts, it still wasn’t on the supermodel’s radar. “I saw bits of it, of course,” says Moss, reflecting on the army of bewinged glamazons that helped to attract an audience of millions at its peak. “But I wasn’t really an underwear girl… I wasn’t a Victoria’s Secret girl.”

That all changed tonight in New York, as the lingerie extravaganza returned for the first time in six years in truly blockbuster style – with Moss as the surprise casting coup in a night that was full of them. Somewhere between Doutzen Kroes losing a stiletto and a barnstorming performance from Cher, Moss appeared in a cloud of dry ice to walk the runway solo, save for a female guitarist belting out “I Love Rock And Roll”.

The track was apt. While the likes of Gigi Hadid and Paloma Elsesser – along with OG Angels including Tyra Banks and Alessandra Ambrosio – beamed and waved at the crowd as they walked, Moss retained her signature edge, slinking down the catwalk in a sheer black lace dress accessorised with a pair of (understated by VS standards) black tulle wings and a smouldering stare.

It was one of several wow moments in a high-energy show vaunted by the brand as representing a reinvented Victoria’s Secret – one that is more diverse, more body positive, more age inclusive. According to Kate – who describes the old shows as “enjoyably cheesy” – it’s also cooler.

It was the addition of Emmanuelle Alt, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris who was brought on board to style the 2024 show, that persuaded Kate to take part for the first time. “She’s one of my favourite stylists,” says Moss, who spoke exclusively to Vogue ahead of the show. “Whatever she does, it’s gonna be cool. She’s got such a great eye, so I felt safe.”

Still, there were a few pre-show jitters for the super, who last walked the runway in 2022 for Bottega Veneta. “It’s fun and exciting, but I still get nervous,” she said. “It’s just on such a huge scale. When I used to do shows all the time obviously I didn’t even think about it – we’d just do back to back shows on the same day. Now it’s such a different thing, [the girls arrive] eight hours before a show for hair and make-up.” Some familiar faces backstage no doubt helped. “Lila’s here!” says Kate, whose 22-year-old daughter walked the runway in a pale pink lingerie set under a matching fringed jacket. “And a few of my friends, Joan Smalls, Carla Bruni…”

That mother and daughter both walked in the show is perhaps indicative of the broader audience – and customer base – that Victoria’s Secret is trying to reach. “Everybody buys clothes, not just 22-year-old girls,” Kate says of the importance of representation on the runway. “That’s why it’s good to show older women and bigger women, to be more inclusive of everyone. [Fashion as a whole] is definitely in a much better place.”

Alberta Ferretti Names New Creative Director

Lorenzo Serafini is taking over as creative director of Aeffe-owned Alberta Ferretti, after its namesake founder stepped down last month.

Serafini, who has been at the helm of stablemate Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini since 2014, will make his debut for the Alberta Ferretti brand for autumn/winter 2025. Aeffe, the Italian luxury goods group, also announced that Philosophy will be integrated into Alberta Ferretti from AW25 in an effort to “[interpret] the needs of the current market” and “[strengthen] the brand’s appeal and positioning for the future”.

“With the fashion world undergoing tremendous change, I strongly believe that Lorenzo has the creativity, strong aesthetic sense, professionalism and expertise required to meet this challenge,” said Ferretti, who remains in her role as VP of Aeffe, in a statement. “A decade ago I entrusted Lorenzo with the Philosophy line, which he successfully developed into a thriving brand. Now, it is time for him to write a new chapter for the Alberta Ferretti brand, whose essence aligns beautifully with his vision.”

Philosophy was founded by Ferretti in 1984 and was initially known as Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. Ferretti led the brand until 2012, when Natalie Ratabesi took over for an 18-month stint, before she was succeeded by Serafini. Serafini led womenswear design at Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana before joining Philosophy.

“I am honoured that Alberta has chosen me as the successor to such a significant and prestigious legacy, and I will carry it forward with care as I begin a new chapter for the Alberta Ferretti brand,” Serafini said in a statement.

London’s Lightroom Exhibition Will Consider The History Of The Runway Show

Vogue: Inventing the Runway, an immersive new exhibition exploring the history of the modern runway show, will open this autumn at Lightroom in London.

With the space’s astonishing four-storey-tall walls as a backdrop, from 13 November visitors can experience and interact with era-defining runway presentations up close, and at an unprecedented scale. The exhibition’s production will combine animation, state-of-the-art sound design, and a score of classical and pop music to evoke the many iconic shows that have helped shape the cultural landscape.

“At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves,” says Anna Wintour, chief content officer, Condé Nast, and global editorial director, Vogue. “This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”

Extending from the intimate couture salons of early 20th-century Europe to the mass-media extravaganzas of today, Inventing the Runway connects the past to the present and future of fashion, utilising Vogue’s extensive archive and contributor network to create an experience that unites the industry’s leading creative voices.

With a robust mix of participating fashion houses, including Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Chanel, Comme des Garçons, Dior, Iris Van Herpen, Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne and Yohji Yamamoto, the exhibition will examine how fashion shows became the ultimate statement of a designer’s vision.

Kim Jones To Exit Fendi

Kim Jones is stepping down from his role as artistic director of Fendi, LVMH announced today. The British designer succeeded the late Karl Lagerfeld in designing Fendi haute couture, ready-to-wear and fur in 2020. Silvia Venturini Fendi will continue her role as creative director of accessories, men’s and childrenswear at her family’s label, while her daughter Delfina Delettrez (Jones’s muse during his time at the helm), will continue to design jewellery.

“Kim Jones is a highly talented designer who has brought his unique and multicultural vision to Fendi over the past four years. I would like to thank him for his contribution and look forward to continuing to witness his creativity at Dior Men’s,” said Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, in a statement.

LVMH purchased a stake in Fendi from the Fendi family in 1999, before becoming the brand’s sole owner in 2001. Fendi is LVMH’s fourth largest fashion brand, behind Louis Vuitton, Dior and Celine, according to HSBC estimates, with predicted revenues of approximately €2.44 billion. Under Jones, Fendi has honed in on artisanship and collaboration, having led on partnerships with significant industry players, from Kim Kardashian’s Skims (2021) to Stefano Pilati (2023). The brand also scaled back its use of fur under Jones, with a focus on recycled alternatives.

LVMH doesn’t break out Fendi’s annual growth, so his impact is difficult to chart. The house appointed new CEO Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou in June this year; Angeloglou is also managing director of the LVMH Fashion Group. In a note, Bernard Arnault thanked outgoing CEO Serge Brunschwig for accompanying Fendi to a “significant level of growth” since 2018.

Jones will remain as artistic director of Dior Men’s, a post he’s held since 2018. Prior to this, he was artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men’s from 2011 to 2018, where he was revered for launching the Louis Vuitton X Supreme collaboration in 2017, which many mark as a watershed moment for streetwear. At Dior Men’s, Jones has continued to explore collaborations, from artist Daniel Arsham to Stone Island. A new creative organisation for Fendi will be announced in due time, LVMH said.

Inside Coperni’s Disneyland Paris Show

Fashion month is a rollercoaster. A long one, with many sharp turns. When you board it, at the start of New York Fashion Week, you’ll have a sun-kissed August glow. People will remark how well you look. And you do look well. Your suitcase will be immaculately packed; you’ll be up to date with your dry cleaning. By London, the jet lag will leave you feeling slightly upside down, but nothing that a dab of that Victoria Beckham X Augustinus Bader concealer can’t hide. You’ll try to find time in your schedule to go to M&S to stock up on seamless microfibre low-rise briefs in lieu of having time to do laundry (but won’t). Around the midpoint of Milan Fashion Week, you’ll be willing to trade your front-row seat for an early night and a packet of Strepsils as your seat mates start coming down with something they swear isn’t Covid, but is – kind of – similar. You’ll FaceTime your hair colourist from your hotel bathroom to walk you through a root touch up.

By the time Paris Fashion Week is in full flow, however, you’ve acclimatised to living off the truffle crisps in the hotel mini bar between filing. You’re rejuvenated by Alessandro Michele’s debut Valentino show, and still buoyed by the memory of Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa spring/summer 2025 runway, which turned the famous helix of Manhattan’s Guggenheim Museum into a catwalk; the group chat has come back to life to hypothesise about where Hedi Slimane might go next, now that he’s parted ways with Celine. Now, you don’t want to go back to normal life – you want to hold on to the surreal fantasy of fashion month to the very end of the rollercoaster. And you’ll want the mid-ride photograph, where your eyes are half closed but you're smiling, having survived the loop-the-loop, as a souvenir.

Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, co-founders of viral French fashion label, Coperni, seem to be able to intuit how show guests would like to feel at a runway show – the wow-am-I-seeing-this-for-real-ness of a really great fashion spectacle. (Who can forget Bella Hadid and the spray-on dress, a piece of performance art that stunned onlookers – and broke the internet – during the finale of Coperni’s spring/summer 2023’s runway show.) For those of us who didn’t come down with the illness which definitely isn’t Covid, Paris Fashion Week (and an entire fashion month) ended at 1am this morning on Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Paris. It was there – specifically at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle – that the Coperni duo staged their spring/summer 2025 runway show. After a little over four weeks of divine chaos, I stepped off the rollercoaster with my hair standing on end, and thought: I’m so lucky that this is a job – like, an actual job – and then I rode Hyperspace Mountain again for a second time before retiring for a bag of truffle-flavoured crisps.

Meyer and Vaillant dubbed last night’s Disneyland Paris takeover “a celebration of youth, nostalgia and imagination” – and were bang on the mark. For anyone well versed in Disney-speak, the al fresco pre-show cocktails were held near the start of Main Street. (I should add that the fashion industry – and Vogue editors in particular – are Disney stans.) The atmosphere was similar to a school trip as we began walking en masse through the Magic Kingdom towards Sleeping Beauty’s castle to take our seats. At just before 11pm Paris time, the castle’s signature pink lights shut down. Everyone fell silent. Not tired silent, but in awe. That’s when the Disney string orchestra soundtrack, which makes you feel like everything might one day be OK in the world, kicked in and the show began. Fireworks, cinematic lightning bolts et al.

Jenner is now a mainstay on the world’s most select front rows, but taking a turn on the runway herself? That’s pretty rare. Sleeping Beauty’s castle glowed fuchsia pink as Jenner elegantly walked across the footbridge in a fairytale strapless gown and stocking gloves. The beauty mogul wasn’t in a hurry to get back to the city after the finale, either: when I stepped out of my Hyperspace Mountain seat (for the second time around in half an hour), a jubilant Jenner hopped in for her turn. The other rides which guests enjoyed well into the small hours? Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and the Orbitron, while the Videopolis Theatre was transformed into a Coperni dance club for one night only.

Lila Moss graced the runway in a Cinderella-yellow body under a watery-sheer minidress (look 41), while Amelia Gray played the evil queen (look 27). Think: jets of smoke, flame-throwers and a throbbing techno soundtrack to accompany the raven-haired model as she strutted across the footbridge – the castle, naturally, illuminated fluorescent green.

Ten per cent of the collection was produced in collaboration with Disney, the designers told Vogue Runway’s Luke Leitch. They even mixed in vintage Disney merch, which is why looks 17 and 15 are among my personal favourites – right down to the key chains that jingled as the models walked. Naturally, I boarded the Eurostar the next day (having rested my head in the Disneyland Hotel under a portrait of Snow White), loaded down with souvenirs (see above: Vogue editors are Disney stans).

Missoni Names Its New Creative Director

Filippo Grazioli is stepping down as creative director of Missoni after just over two years to pursue “new creative and artistic challenges”, the Italian house said today. He will be replaced by company veteran Alberto Caliri.

Caliri has previously held the creative director role on an interim basis after Angela Missoni — daughter of the founder — stepped down in 2021 amid a management shake-up.

Grazioli joined the family-owned brand in 2022, taking on responsibility for the men’s and women’s collections and lifestyle division. Before that, he worked for Burberry under Riccardo Tisci, first as design director for women’s runway and later as a consultant. He was previously head designer of women’s ready-to-wear at Givenchy, also under Tisci.

For the spring/summer 2025 show in Milan, Grazioli leaned into Missoni’s zigzag stripes with “unwavering focus”, which made the collection “both punchy and strangely captivating”, wrote Vogue Runway’s Tiziana Cardini. The show was styled by Paris-based stylist, creative consultant and Dazed fashion director Imruh Asha, who is known for his eclectic use of colour.

“We are grateful to Filippo for his contribution and dedication. We look to the future with confidence, continuing our path of growth driven by innovation and quality while staying true to our strong identity,” said Missoni CEO Livio Proli in a statement.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of Missoni. I am proud of the achievements and the experiences shared with the entire team. I am now ready to face new challenges and explore new frontiers,” said Grazioli.

Michael Rider Is The New Creative Director At Celine

Michael Rider is the new creative director at Celine, the LVMH-owned fashion house announced on Wednesday. His appointment will take effect in early 2025. He will have the entire creative responsibility of all Celine collections, including womenswear, menswear, leather goods and accessories to couture, the statement reads.

“I am delighted to welcome Michael back to Celine, a maison that he knows intimately. Michael’s vision, creative talent, together with his genuine nature and strong connection to Celine’s heritage make him a natural choice to continue to build a long-lasting success for the maison,” said Severine Merle, CEO of Celine. Rider said: “Celine is a maison with values very close to my heart and a beautiful heritage to build on.”

It comes after Celine announced the departure of Slimane earlier on Wednesday. Rider’s arrival at Celine is a coming home of sorts. The American designer was previously employed as design director at the brand, working there for a 10-year period that spanned Phoebe Philo’s tenure. Most recently, he was the creative director at Polo Ralph Lauren, a position he held since 2018. He left Ralph Lauren at the end of May.

Rider replaces Slimane, who was installed as artistic, creative and image director of Celine in 2018 after Philo’s departure. Slimane, who previously worked at Saint Laurent and Dior Homme, dropped the accent over the “e” in Céline and introduced a new logo before his first show. His debut for spring/summer 2019 (where he added me=nswear) received “a raucous chorus of criticism”, wrote The Washington Post’s Robin Givhan. “In a single evening, he has blown up everything that Celine was, Flushed it clean. His name might not be on the label, but in every other respect, the brand might as well be called Hedi Slimane,” Givhan wrote. For AW19, he shifted to a bourgeois French girl look. This time, “it was a near-unanimous oui,” Vogue Runway’s Sarah Mower wrote.

At the LVMH annual earnings conference in January 2018, soon after the announcement of Slimane’s appointment, LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault said: “The objective with him is to reach at least €2 billion to €3 billion, and perhaps more, within five years.” At the time, Celine’s sales were close to €1 billion. Five years later, sales reached an estimated €2.6 billion in 2023, per HSBC, making it LVMH’s third largest fashion brand after Louis Vuitton and Dior – overtaking Fendi in terms of revenue. Slimane oversaw the introduction of Celine fragrances in 2019, and make-up (initially in the form of a lipstick line) is slated to follow this autumn.

Having shied away from the press from his start at the company, Slimane more or less stopped doing live runways after the pandemic, even as other designers in the LVMH stable resumed regular shows. Though he receded from public view, his amalgam of Parisienne haute bourgeoisie and Los Angeles rocker glam remained a persuasive vision.

In December 2022, Slimane chose Los Angeles – the city where he lived and worked as Saint Laurent’s creative director – for his first physical runway since the pandemic, titled Age of Indieness. “If Slimane is ever going to step out with an eponymous brand, this nostalgic collection would surely be its basis,” wrote Vogue Business’s Christina Binkley. Still standing free from the fashion calendar, in early September, he unveiled his men’s SS25 collection in the format of a 13-minute film that he directed, titled The Bright Young.

“Celine continues to make strong progress,” said Arnault during the LVMH annual general meeting in April. “Celine is chic, hip, sexy fashion for young people even if the prices are what they are, and it works. I was in Japan last week with Delphine [Arnault]. I could see that in front of the Celine boutiques, there was an incredible line, up to two hours.”

Rider has operated behind the scenes at Polo Ralph Lauren, where the house founder is the go-to spokesperson, but he has made the Polo label look more distinctive than it has in years, raising its cool factor amidst a preppy renaissance led by other labels, many of them European, clearly inspired by the American legacy brand.

Hedi Slimane Exits Celine After Seven Years At The Helm

After a seven-year run, Hedi Slimane is leaving Celine. “Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house,” Celine said in a statement on Wednesday. “The extraordinary journey taken together over the last seven years has made Celine a house with a formidable foundation for the future.” No successor has been announced.

Slimane became artistic, creative and image director of Celine in February 2018, after Phoebe Philo’s departure. He was previously artistic director of menswear at Yves Saint Laurent until 2000, when he joined Dior Homme. This is where he created the skinny silhouette that famously prompted Karl Lagerfeld to go on a diet. Slimane left Dior in 2007 and returned to Yves Saint Laurent in 2012 as creative director, where he cut “Yves” from the name immediately before his first show. He left in 2016.

At Celine, he dropped the accent over the “e” in Céline, and introduced a new logo before his first show. His debut for spring/summer 2019 (where he added menswear) received “a raucous chorus of criticism”, wrote The Washington Post’s Robin Givhan. “In a single evening, he has blown up everything that Celine was, flushed it clean. His name might not be on the label, but in every other respect, the brand might as well be called Hedi Slimane,” Givhan wrote. For autumn/winter 2019, he shifted to a bourgeois French-girl look. This time, “it was a near-unanimous oui,” Vogue Runway’s Sarah Mower wrote.

At the LVMH annual earnings conference in January 2018, soon after the announcement of Slimane’s appointment, LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault said: “The objective with him is to reach at least €2 billion to €3 billion, and perhaps more, within five years.” At the time, Celine’s sales were close to €1 billion. Five years later, sales reached an estimated €2.6 billion in 2023, per HSBC, making it LVMH’s third largest fashion brand after Louis Vuitton and Dior – overtaking Fendi in terms of revenue. Slimane oversaw the introduction of Celine fragrances in 2019, and make-up (initially in the form of a lipstick line) is slated to follow this autumn.

Having shied away from the press from his start at the company, Slimane more or less stopped doing live runways after the pandemic, even as other designers in the LVMH stable resumed regular shows. Although he receded from public view, his amalgam of Parisienne haute bourgeoisie and Los Angeles rocker glam remained a persuasive vision.

In December 2022, Slimane chose Los Angeles – the city where he lived and worked as Saint Laurent’s creative director – for his first physical runway since the pandemic, titled “Age of Indieness”. “If Slimane is ever going to step out with an eponymous brand, this nostalgic collection would surely be its basis,” wrote Vogue Business’s Christina Binkley.

Still standing free from the fashion calendar, in early September, he unveiled his men’s SS25 collection in the format of a 13-minute film that he directed titled The Bright Young. This past weekend, during Paris Fashion Week, he also released an SS25 film titled Un Été français. The designer sent out a tweed-heavy collection, prompting commentators to believe he’s leaving for Chanel, which has yet to appoint a new designer.

“Celine continues to make strong progress,” said Arnault during the LVMH annual general meeting in April. “Celine is chic, hip, sexy fashion for young people even if the prices are what they are, and it works. I was in Japan last week with Delphine [Arnault]. I could see that in front of the Celine boutiques, there was an incredible line, up to two hours.” Where will Slimane land in his next act? Fashion will be watching closely.

Alberta Ferretti Steps Down From Her Eponymous Brand

Alberta Ferretti is stepping down as creative director of the eponymous brand she founded in 1981, the designer announced this morning.

“On September 17th, you attended my last fashion show,” wrote the designer in a letter sent out this morning via email. “It was a difficult, complicated, but a very thoughtful choice. But today, with serenity and awareness, I inform you of my decision to leave the creative direction of the brand I founded, which bears and will continue to bear my name,” said the designer. In it, she name checks key collaborators Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, Franca Sozzani and Paolo Roversi.

The show was, in hindsight, an homage to Ferretti’s signatures, with a focus on flowing chiffon gowns alongside modern daywear, presented under the colonnade of the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology.

Ferretti grew up in her family’s dressmaking shop before opening her own boutique as a teenager, where she began to create her own clothes to be sold alongside other Italian designers. She launched her label in 1981 and has remained true to its signature gentle feminine silhouettes ever since. As relevant today as she was back then, Ferretti has gone viral recently as the outfitter of the Folklore era in Taylor Swift’s eras tour.

The 74-year-old designer will remain in her role as vice president of her family business, Aeffe Group, which operates her eponymous brand alongside Moschino, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini and Pollini. In her open letter, she thanks her brother Massimo Ferretti, the group chairman. Aeffe doesn’t break out individual brands, but group sales dropped nine per cent to €319 million in 2023, following the changeover of creative directors at the Moschino brand. While changes at Ferretti may cause further challenges in the short term, the designer says she will name her successor “soon”.

Hodakova’s Ellen Hodakova Larsson Wins The LVMH Prize

The 2024 LVMH Prize marked its spot on the calendar between the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that transformed Paris into a city of athleticism and exuberance, and the seasonal cycle of fashion weeks. No matter that clothes-making and brand-building are not considered sports; this competition has come to represent the apex of awards for young, international designers.

The equivalent of a gold medal went to Ellen Hodakova Larsson for her label, Hodakova, whose genuine commitment to sustainability and repurposed materials has yielded tops covered in metal spoons and skirts woven from belt buckles.

“Wow,” she said, overcome with emotion after Natalie Portman, who was an exceptional member of the jury this year, presented the award, which comes with a €400,000 (£340,000) endowment and a year-long mentorship provided by a team of LVMH experts. “I’ll do my best. I am so honoured.”

Robert Pattison showed up to announce Duran Lantink as the winner of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize, one year after receiving the ANDAM Special Prize. Often experimenting with dimension and shape, his garments feel at once kinky, kooky and non-conformist.

The big news to come out of this 11th edition: a new, dedicated Savoir-Faire Prize, which was presented by Ana De Armas and awarded to Michael Stewart of Standing Ground. The Irish designer, who graduated from the Royal Academy of Art in 2017 and launched his label just two years ago, creates remarkable jersey silhouettes that redefine the body through embedded beadwork and volumes.

Earlier in the day, the eight finalists – Marie-Adam Leenaerdt, Paolo Carzana, Pauline Dujancourt, Julian Louie of Aubero, and Niccolò Pasqualetti, along with Larsson, Lantink, and Stewart – presented themselves to a heavyweight jury in a closed session. Just imagine fielding a wide range of questions from eight directors of LVMH houses: Nicolas Ghesquière, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Jonathan Anderson, Silvia Venturini Fendi, Nigo, Marc Jacobs, Pharrell, and Phoebe Philo making a rare appearance. Rounding off the group were Delphine Arnault, and Jean-Paul Claverie and Sidney Toledano, both advisors to Bernard Arnault. Over lunch, they deliberated and arrived at the winner by majority.

A who’s who of industry guests, meanwhile, gathered in the soaring auditorium of the Fondation Louis Vuitton where a selection of creations from each finalist hung from two parallel white bars suspended at eye level. Up close, it was possible to get a better sense of how an Aubero jacket is composed of vintage material fragments held together under tulle or the sumptuous feel of a camel coat from Pasqualetti.

Before the winners were announced, there were short films that were captivating for their unvarnished aesthetics and sensitive voice-overs. There was a distinct sense of wanting to bring us closer into the designers’ worlds beyond displaying their clothes.

“I think we really selected people for their personality, not only for their work,” said Venturini Fendi, moments after the three awards were announced. How did these designers set themselves apart from winners in previous years? “I think they reflect the emotions that we want to see in clothes. That’s why it’s important to talk to them. You have to know who is behind the clothes. We don’t want to just buy clothes today; we want to support people who are sending a message to the world.

Chiuri, separately, made a similar point. “There’s the creativity but then the idea of what they want to build for the future, the perspective of their brand. They were all interesting, very different, but you feel that all the brands had a personal story.” She praised Stewart’s couture techniques and how Larsson is already scaling up her upcycled approach. “It’s the first time we have seen a project about sustainability that has numbers, that she sells. We want to recognise these important results.”

Having never participated in the jury, Portman was impressed by the extent to which there was a common goal towards positive impact. “I love how much [Ellen] thinks about the future and sustainability and repurposing materials. It’s really moving to see the thought that goes into these beautiful pieces.”

Both the Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize and the Savoir-Faire Prize (amounting to €200,000 (£170,000 each plus mentorship) seemed like an official way to recognise two distinctive talents after two years of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize being shared by two designers. Plus, what better way to signal to future applicants that craftsmanship is not a dying pursuit.

For Delphine Arnault, who founded the Prize in 2013, this was an occasion to “represent craftsmanship, quality, sustainability and sustainable development,” she explained in an interview. “We believe that these are values that are increasingly important today and that reflect the expectations of today’s consumers. It’s also an integral part of our business. Know-how is essential, and know-how is passed down from generation to generation. So we thought it would be interesting to bring this dimension into the Prize, to reward this dimension in particular.”

About Hodakova’s winning vision, she added, “she showed us a lot of her creations around belts, for example, and she also told us all about her childhood, how she was brought up, how her mother introduced her to fashion. She told us all about the path that led her to create her brand in Stockholm. We thought she was a very interesting candidate with a lot of potential for development.”

With her father and stepmother nearby, Larsson, who is 32, sat down at a backstage table with a glass of champagne in one hand and her sculptural gold star award designed by Jean-Michel Othoniel in the other. “I think I had a feeling, but I didn’t want to trust it until it happened. I didn’t want to be disappointed, I guess,” she said. Can she now envision where she might be next year? “I’m very present and I’m moving my goals all the time, so it’s quite hard to just put a goal, but I want to see the brand develop in a way I imagine it – in a natural and good balance. I believe the infrastructure needs to have balance to sustain [itself],” she said.

Minutes later, she shared a poignant hug with Julian Louie of Aubero, while Stewart made a point of saying how this was an amazing group that supported each other. “We all wanted each other to do well.”

Here, it’s worth reminding how many finalists have gone on to thrive sans Prize; Demna and Virgil Abloh being two of the most famous examples. “It’s very nice to win a prize but it doesn’t mean the end of the world if you don’t,” said Marc Jacobs reassuringly. “So be true to thyself, to thine own self be true. Be passionate about what you do, and anything is possible. Prize or no prize, keep going.”

Anyway, they have made fans of the celebrity contingent, with Pattison, Portman, and de Armas practically placing requests. “I feel like I have a whole new list of people who I want to dress me now and want to be lucky enough to get to wear their designs. It is so fun to wear something that is completely fresh and that no one knows about yet,” said Portman, who will head from Paris to Calgary for a film.

Additional words of encouragement came from Pattinson, who admitted he was already nudging for one of the Aubero jackets. “It’s a pretty obvious thing to say but there are 2,500 people who applied for this and to be in the top eight – to see how distinctive all their identities are already. They can all talk so elegantly about their work and where it comes from.”

One interesting takeaway as the event wound down was that both Stewart and Lantink, who will soon have their runway shows in London and Paris respectively, expressed their willingness to join one of the fashion houses, and that the visibility and validation might kickstart the possibilities. “I mean, are you joking me? Of course!” Stewart said with a hearty laugh. “Then you can really, really do something. You can really put to use the teams, and I think that would be quite amazing.” Let the games begin.

Haider Ackermann Is Named Creative Director Of Tom Ford

Haider Ackermann is the new creative director of Tom Ford, effective today. “It is with tremendous pride that I will seek to honour the legacy of Tom Ford, a man I have long admired and have the utmost respect for,” said Ackermann in a statement released this morning as he was named in the role by Ford’s owner, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc (ELC).

“We are thrilled to welcome Haider Ackermann to Tom Ford,” William P Lauder, executive chairman of ELC, said in a statement to Vogue Business: “Haider’s appointment strengthens our ambitions for this enormously successful brand. His unique and insightful vision will further enhance the house’s global impact on fashion and culture.” Ford, who founded his eponymous brand in 2005, stepped down in 2023 following its $2.8 billion sale to ELC the previous year.

Ackermann, who was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and adopted by a French family, will be based in his home city of Paris, the brand said today. His role makes him responsible for shaping all of Tom Ford’s fashion output, including womenswear, menswear, accessories and eyewear. He will also “guide the creative vision for the overall brand”, the company’s statement added. The first full view of his interpretation of the codes established and refined by Ford will be revealed in Paris next March at a runway show during the autumn/winter 2025 edition of Paris Fashion Week.

One person already requesting his ticket for that show is Tom Ford himself, who greeted today’s news warmly. He said: “I have long been a great fan of Haider’s work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colourist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all, he is modern. We share many of the same historical references, and I could not be more excited to see what he does with the brand. I suspect that I will be the first on my feet to applaud after his show in March.”

Following Ford’s graceful exit, the brand was initially helmed by Peter Hawkings – a company veteran who had worked under the founder for nearly 25 years. He exited suddenly this past July.

In Ackermann, the brand has pivoted to a designer who is deeply au fait with fashion’s limelight. A seasoned creative leader, he operated his eponymous label for nearly two decades until 2020. Karl Lagerfeld famously once nominated Ackermann as a possible future candidate to replace him at Chanel. That didn’t happen – or at least it hasn’t yet – although Ackermann was appointed by Antoine Arnault to a critically acclaimed stint at the helm of the LVMH-owned masculine maison Berluti.

So what will Ackermann, as an established star designer in his own right, bring to Tom Ford? The merging of his design with the codes of its founder represents an intriguing fashion prospect: both designers have respectively developed their own aesthetic dialects that, while highly distinct, also overlap in their blending of profound sensuality with strict rigour. Furthermore, Ackermann’s chief métier has always been womenswear, a category which the brand’s fashion licensee, Ermenegildo Zegna Group, is especially keen to grow. Another Ackermann attribute that overlaps with Ford is their adjacency to Hollywood – the designer is especially close to Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet.

In April 2023, the sale of the Tom Ford brand was completed in a deal that saw his existing partners in beauty, eyewear and ready-to-wear assume control. Tom Ford International, the company formerly responsible for the Tom Ford fashion business, was fully acquired by the Milan-based Ermenegildo Zegna Group. The acquisition was part of a joint operation led by ELC, Tom Ford’s existing beauty partner, and Marcolin, its eyewear partner.

In a statement shared with Vogue Business, Ermenegildo ‘Gildo’ Zegna, chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group, said: “The Tom Ford fashion business has long had tremendous growth potential. The appointment of Haider as the brand’s new creative director will further strengthen the team we are building and makes me even more confident in the future of Tom Ford Fashion.” It is understood that Zegna’s prime ambition for Tom Ford ready-to-wear is to expand its womenswear sales, which, in 2023, accounted for 30 per cent of Tom Ford Fashion revenues.

Ackermann appears powerfully qualified both to navigate and drive that growth. His own much-lamented eponymous line came to a sudden and surprising halt in 2020. Since then, the designer – who, as a child, lived with his family in countries including Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria and The Netherlands – has been in a second phase of creative wandering. Recent employment has included roles at Maison Ullens, Fila and Canada Goose, as well as a deservedly lauded cameo season at Jean Paul Gaultier couture.

Now from Paris, Ackermann will enjoy a newly stable environment in which to develop his aesthetic around the foundations established by Tom Ford. Reflecting the structure of the brand, he will report to both Guillaume Jesel, president and CEO of Tom Ford and luxury business development at ELC, as well as Lelio Gavazza, CEO of Tom Ford Fashion at Ermenegildo Zegna Group.

Today, Jesel hailed Ackermann as “one of the world’s most visionary and inspiring talents in fashion”, adding: “He draws on his deep affinity for global culture and the arts to create arresting fashion and memorable emotional connections.” Gavazza added of Ackermann: “His renowned experience in luxury will be instrumental in driving the fashion business forward during its next important phase of expansion.”

Clare Waight Keller Is Uniqlo’s New Creative Director

Clare Waight Keller’s debut Uniqlo: C collection launched last September, and it’s safe to say that the new sub-label has been a success. Today, she’s here in New York to show off the new autumn/winter season, and she comes with a new title: creative director, meaning she now oversees not just the Uniqlo: C line she was hired to develop last year, but also the brand’s core offerings, which so many of us know and love and wear so often.

You know which ones I mean: all the cashmere, the merino, basically anything under the LifeWear umbrella. “What you’ll start to notice,” Waight Keller says, “is that within some of those core programmes there’ll be new fashion shapes, and there’ll be new silhouettes that drop every other month, to really bring in the freshness.” Among the developments that will register, she explains, are updates to the overall colour palette. “I’ve got my hands all over that.” On the women’s side, look for more femininity, more prints, and more exploration in terms of pattern and cut, and younger, trending silhouettes. “Uniqlo appeals to such a big audience,” she says, “but a big chunk that they really capture is that younger age bracket. It’s a fast-moving market, so there’s a lot to learn there.”

Waight Keller hails from the salons of Paris; she was at Givenchy for three years and at Chloé for six before that, and she’s upfront about the learning curve at Uniqlo. “In the fashion industry, especially luxury, it’s all about change, change, change. What are the new proportions? The new silhouettes? That’s important to keep things moving, but the truth is, it’s the timeless pieces that people buy in a big, big way.”

One of the first categories she’s turned her eye to is denim. A new wide-leg style has become “one of the globally top-selling styles” since launching. In menswear, you can expect softer tailored jackets and “more interesting oversized shapes.” Then, as September edges into October her new Pufftech styles will start filtering into the stores, and she says it’s not just the palette that will be new, but also the proportions and “the way that they’re styled.”

Waight Keller has noticed her own style changing since starting to work full-time at Uniqlo. These days she’s pairing her tailored jackets with white tees and cargo pants or men’s parachute pants. “The Uniqlo customer has this sort of everyday casualness which is really quite appealing,” she says. “It’s a bit more active-sporty than the very refined, let’s say, wardrobe I had before. I’m enjoying the fact that everything’s cotton and fresh and washable.”

What about all those autumn/winter 2024 season headlines touting the return of dressing up? “I don’t see it myself,” she says. “I travel so much” – indeed, in between our conversation in late August, which she conducted from the English seaside, and her arrival in New York, she was in Japan for several days of work – “I’m observing people constantly and the big takeaways are that everyday style has evolved from Covid. There’s a relaxed sense of wanting to look smart-ish but actually feel super-comfortable. This is my mission at Uniqlo: to create that comfort with a strong sense of fashion, because I think that’s the sweet spot – something that feels great, makes you look good, but actually has a complete ease to it.”

There’s one more growth area she wants to talk about. “I’ve got a very good collection of flat shoes now. That’s always the go-to, on the run, with travel. But there’s still not a good selection in the market. That’s a category that’s going to expand [at Uniqlo], as well.”

Fashion East Reveals Its Expansive New Class Of 2024

There will be 70-something designers participating in London’s spring/summer 2025 season, and at least 13 of them will have debuted as part of Fashion East. The capital owes a great deal to this beloved incubation programme, which has for the past 24 years nurtured the careers of – deep breath, because it always bears repeating – Kim Jones, Stefan Cooke, Craig Green, Maximilian Davis, Charles Jeffrey, Grace Wales Bonner, Supriya Lele, Simone Rocha, Jonathan Anderson, Knwls, Mowalola and Martine Rose. Much has been made of these unique discoveries, but Fashion East is at heart a forward-looking institution, and its latest cohort builds on a new and expansive era.

And so: Fashion East is announcing the names of its new cohort – Pia Schiele of the skate brand Loutre, Cameron Williams and Jebi Labembika of Nuba, and footwear designer Kitty Shukman – who will mount collections alongside returning artists Samara Scott and Tayah Leigh Barrs of Sos Skyn and designer Olly Shinder on 13 September at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch. It’s the meatiest line-up in a while. “We couldn’t resist supporting five talents this season,” founder Lulu Kennedy and partner-in-crime Raphaelle Moore explain. “It’s a myriad of art, fantasy, queer club culture, elegance and luxury streetwear. But it’s best if we don't try and explain it. We’d rather you experience it, feel it and wear it.”

The golden ticket had been a longtime coming for each of Fashion East’s recruits. Kennedy and Moore had already spotted Loutre’s patchwork knits and hirsute jackets – cornerstones of the German-born Schiele’s deconstructed-reconstructed approach to upcycled design since having founded the brand in 2018 – on the content creator Deba Hekmat and Corteiz’s Clint. Nuba, too, had spent years roosting in their minds. Cameron started the label as a Central Saint Martins graduate in 2020, and his classmate Labembika joined as co-creative director in 2023 with the launch of an elegant and at times imposing collection of felted wool Melton coats, draped cloaks and nylon skirts. As for Shukman: “It’s impossible to miss her incredible creativity and footwear on Instagram,” the duo say of the former Yeezy designer’s strange experiments in 3D-printing. “We met IRL and loved her.”

This season will also mark Shinder’s final collection with Fashion East. His designs – wear them and you’ll feel wrong in a way that feels right – stick big, rubber-gloved fists into traditional working clothes, and have been some of the most impressive to have surfaced on the London catwalks in recent years. “I’m steering clear of reinvention,” he said of his previous collection. “It’s not a sustainable approach for me. My fascination lies in uniforms with an underlying theme of kink.” Shinder will be in good company alongside recent Fashion East alums Standing Ground, Johanna Parv and Karoline Vitto should he make the decision to go solo next season.

Eckhaus Latta Reinvents The NYFW Show With… A Fashion Show

My journey to attend Eckhaus Latta’s spring 2025 presentation – which was billed as a dinner in a privately owned Tribeca space – started a few days before the event. That’s when I arrived at a private suite in the East Village’s Standard Hotel for an appointment with founders Zoe Latta and Mike Eckhaus. “We’ve done a lot of runway shows and wanted to do something different this season,” Eckhaus says moments after I enter the suite. Latta adds with a grin: “It’ll be a beautiful dinner but with about seven minutes of interlude.”

The duo brings me into a room with the season’s lookbook papered up on the wall. There are also hanging racks filled with those very designs, and Latta has pulled aside a selection of the brand’s spring offerings, explaining that the uniform for the evening is the spring collection. Am I being styled by the designers for their event? I’m instantly nervous. “We’re asking everybody to style the pieces however they want,” Latta says. After a few rounds of dress up – a cream and grey pinstripe open-back dress, a soft olive knit mini with an octopus-like black edge creeping out from underneath – we settle upon the Twyla dress, a reversible knit number in chocolate brown and lilac. Eckhaus snaps a photo of me in the ‘fit. This should have been a hint at what was coming next.

Inside the party, fashion’s coolest – second daughter Ella Elmhoff, stylist and newly-Lichtenstein yellow Dara Allen, singer King Princess, comedian Kate Berlant – mix and mingle until we are ushered upstairs to the main event. The verdant tablescape has cold noodles from Momofuku waiting, and we’re encouraged to dig in. And after a word of thanks from our hosts, suddenly Berlant, almost in a guerilla-style coup (which she later tells me was a “performance interruption”), grabs the mic. “I can’t help but notice how this area between the tables looks like a runway…” she teases. Oh shit. “This is an improvised toast turned runway show!” Berlant declares, then gives us a walk, fluffing her Julia Roberts curls as she goes.

Immediately, the crowd starts to clap and scream. Real models, musicians, and more all take a spin at walking while a single lit cigarette – both modelling prop and mignardise – is passed hand to hand. Jemima Kirke takes a puff while going chair-to-chair asking “do you have a pair of sunglasses?” It was 9:30 pm, so I hadn’t packed a pair, but the sartorially prepared Julia Hobbs shares hers. Shirts are coming off, the crowd is screaming, Berlant is begging for more models – and I’m glued to my seat. As singer Loren Kramer freestyles R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” all I can think is I’m going to lose my dinner if I have to get up there.

Why Ganni Is Switching Copenhagen For Paris Fashion Week

Ganni has long been Copenhagen Fashion Week’s flagship brand. But after two seasons off showing in the Danish capital, Ganni is making the move to Paris Fashion Week for spring/summer 2025, with a show on Tuesday 24 September. And it’s not a one-off.

“Ganni has established itself globally, and as we enter our next chapter of growth, showcasing in Paris is a natural evolution for our brand equity and scale,” said Ganni CEO Laura Du Rusquec in a statement. Du Rusquec, who was previously deputy CEO of Balenciaga, joined Ganni in April, replacing outgoing CEO Andrea Baldo after five years. Her main focus is global expansion, with the Paris move being part of a long-term strategy, according to the brand.

“Paris offers an unparalleled global platform, and we are excited to present our SS25 collection, along with our ongoing vision and commitment to responsibility in the fashion industry,” Du Rusquec said.

Ganni was launched as a fashion label in 2009 by husband and wife duo Nicolaj and Ditte Reffstrup. Ditte is creative director, while Nicolaj stepped down as CEO to make way for Baldo five years ago and focus on the brand’s ambitious responsibility goals. It’s arguably the most prominent Danish brand, with 700 global stockists and 70 stores.

Although Copenhagen Fashion Week continues to grow and attract global buyers and press, the Copenhagen-to-Paris pipeline is a well-trodden path for maturing labels. From Cecilie Bahnsen to Heliot Emil, many Danish brands have permanently moved to the French capital, which Ganni describes as the “premier fashion stage”, in search of boosted exposure and orders.

Ganni hasn’t shown in Copenhagen for two seasons now, since its AI-inspired spring/summer 2024 show, instead opting to support emerging talents on the schedule. For autumn/winter 2024, the brand curated an exhibition around material innovation, with looks from budding Scandi labels. But after its second season off for spring/summer 2025, rumours began to swirl that the brand was decamping to Paris or another major fashion city to reach its next phase. Showing straight after Dior, a few hours before Saint Laurent, on the second day of Paris Fashion Week, is certainly a new frontier.

John Galliano And Chemena Kamali Among The 2024 Fashion Awards Nominees

Chemena Kamali, John Galliano, Jonathan Anderson (for JW Anderson and Loewe), Miuccia Prada (for Miu Miu), Pieter Mulier and Rick Owens have been nominated for Designer of the Year at the 2024 Fashion Awards, the British Fashion Council (BFC) announced this week.

The award recognises British or international designers whose collections have made a notable impact on the industry, “defining the shape of global fashion”, according to the BFC. Last year, Anderson was named Designer of the Year.

The Fashion Awards – founded in 1989 to raise money for the BFC Foundation, which provides funding and business mentoring for emerging UK-based brands – will take place on 2 December at the Royal Albert Hall in London, sponsored by Pandora.

The nominees for British Menswear Designer of the Year are: Craig Green, Grace Wales Bonner, Anderson, Kiko Kostadinov, Kim Jones and Martine Rose, the latter of whom won last year’s category award. In the running for British Womenswear Designer of the Year are: Erdem Moralıoğlu, Anderson, Maximilian Davis (last year’s winner), Roksanda Ilinčić and Simone Rocha.

Nominees for New Establishment Menswear, which the BFC reintroduced as a category in 2023, are: Aaron Esh, Foday Dumbuya, Nicholas Daley, Priya Ahluwalia and Stefan Cooke and Jake Burt (jointly for Stefan Cooke). For New Establishment Womenswear, there is: Dilara Fındıkoğlu, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena (jointly for Chopova Lowena), Jawara Alleyne, Laura and Deanna Fanning (jointly for Kiko Kostadinov) and Marco Capaldo. Bianca Saunders and Chopova Lowena won in the menswear and womenswear categories last year, respectively.

On the shortlist for British Accessories Designer is: Anna Jewsbury for Completedworks, Helen Kirkum for Helen Kirkum Studio, Jack Cannon and Joe Gelb for Hatton Labs, Rosh Mahtani for Alighieri and Stephen Jones. The nominees for Model of the Year are: Alex Consani, Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Anok Yai, Liu Wen and Mona Tougaard. Paloma Elsesser took home the award in 2023.

The BFC has already announced that artist, photographer and filmmaker Tyler Mitchell will receive the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator. “Mitchell’s work is incredibly innovative and progressive, telling the authentic and nuanced stories of those from Black identities,” said BFC chief executive Caroline Rush in a statement. “Always ahead of the curve, he consistently challenges the industry’s perceptions of beauty and fashion imagery – striving to make it more reflective of real life.”

Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou, creative director, publisher and global editor-in-chief of 10 Magazine, 10 Men Magazine and 10+ Magazine, will receive a Special Recognition Award for her contribution to the fashion industry. “Neophitou-Apostolou’s visionary approach has had a profound impact on the industry, where she has shaped the modern landscape and consistently championed new talent,” said Rush.

A Blind Model Just Made History At Copenhagen Fashion Week

It took a matter of seconds for Lucy Edwards to make history on Sinéad O’Dwyer’s spring/summer 2025 catwalk, and the hairstylist Anna Cofone four months to make it happen. The broadcaster – who has been an informative and spirit-raising presence on the For You Page since she started uploading TikToks at the beginning of lockdown – this afternoon became the first blind person to model at Copenhagen Fashion Week, and the first blind person to have walked for a London brand. She strode, accompanied by her guide dog, in mini-skirted tailoring as guests were left questioning why this sort of thing isn’t more commonplace. “Just because a person is blind, doesn’t mean they don’t care about their appearance,” Cofone, who runs Hair and Care, a non-profit tasked with broadening fashion and beauty spaces to those with low vision, says. “It’s the absolute opposite.”

Cofone understands this more than most. “My father had retinitis pigmentosa, and I think he used fashion and grooming as a way to maintain independence when he was losing sight,” she says. “He was so passionate about self-care, and was so proud when someone took the time to describe clothes to him, guiding his hand over the shape of a lapel, encouraging him to feel the fabric beneath his fingers. He died 15 years ago and I started Hair and Care in 2019 to help keep his memory alive.” Cofone, who attributes her own success to her father’s resilience, began working with Lana del Rey two years after he passed. Then along came gigs with Dua Lipa, and almost every single international edition of this magazine, alongside countless fashion weeks and campaigns. “Hairdressing isn’t accessible for blind and low-vision people: going into salons is a real challenge and there’s a lack of education on how to communicate with them. Hair and Care runs monthly styling workshops from my studio in Hackney, and we’ve helped to support over 300 women with varying degrees of visual impairments since 2021.”

It was in one of these sessions that Cofone first met the 28-year-old Edwards, who has been blind since the age of 17 as a result of a rare genetic mutation known as incontinentia pigmenti. She has since signed ambassadorships with Pantene and Barbie, and earlier this year published a motivational memoir – Blind, Not Broken – based on her own path to self-acceptance. “She was one of our guests at Sinéad’s London Fashion Week presentation last season,” Cofone says. “The plan was that she’d walk, too, but we couldn’t get it across the line.” There were, of course, a series of other “firsts” to execute: inviting showgoers with visual impairments to experience a tactile tour of the collection, and recording audio descriptions for each look. O’Dwyer and Cofone went even further for spring – partnering with the Danish Association of the Blind on a guest list and creating booklets of fabric swatches and evermore detailed aural guides, which attendees listened to on headsets donated by Sony.

The seasonal grind is hard enough for independent designers, but here is someone who makes things actively more challenging for themselves in order to accommodate an audience of fashion fans so egregiously overlooked. “The most important thing was to make sure the experience would be safe and accessible for Lucy,” Cofone says. “From travelling with an airline that she trusts, to ensuring she could sleep in the same hotel as Hair and Care, to securing shuttle buses, time alone with a movement director and perfecting the tactile markings on the catwalk.” (That O’Dwyer absolutely should be taking home the 2024 Zalando Visionary Award is obvious.) “The dream is to work with the British Fashion Council and be the voice that helps brands to be accessible for blind and low-vision people,” Cofone adds of this life-altering if not culture-shifting project. “The women and young girls who come to our workshops leave feeling changed. Less isolated, empowered to take on a more visible role in public life. It’s about giving people a purpose, confidence and a chance to harness their identities.”

Maison Margiela To Skip Paris Fashion Week

The official Paris Fashion Week schedule is out and looks set to draw the crowds back to the French capital post-Olympics. All eyes will be on Alessandro Michele’s debut runway show for Valentino on 29 September, after he released a surprise lookbook of his first collection.

Among the notable absentees from the show schedule is Maison Margiela, amid press reports that creative director John Galliano is leaving (the brand declined to comment). Maison Margiela is planning to host an event on 30 September, with “further details to follow in due course”, the brand said. Galliano’s most recent show was for spring/summer 2024 haute couture week in January, and the brand showed women’s ready-to-wear in February 2020, October 2020, 2021 and 2023. In January 2023, the brand also held a co-ed show at the end of men’s week in its new headquarters on the Place des États-Unis.

Off-White will also be absent as it makes its New York debut. Altogether, the spring/summer 2025 women’s ready-to-wear calendar, which will run from 23 September to 1 October, features a total of 70 shows and 38 presentations – compared to 67 and 40 for spring/summer 2024.

This season’s calendar marks the return of Gabriela Hearst, who hasn’t shown in Paris since spring/summer 2021 in October 2020. “Paris’s international reach and remarkable platform for creative expression will enable us to pursue our development based on a long-term view, combining luxury and sustainability,” Hearst said in a statement. It also marks the return of Ludovic de Saint Sernin after a one-off in New York last season, and of Y/Project, which skipped autumn/winter 2024, citing “a commitment to prioritising investments”. Christopher Esber, who scooped the 2024 Andam Prize, returns to the presentation calendar, alongside Heliot Emil and Aigle. Newcomers to the show calendar are Alainpaul and Niccolò Pasqualetti, an LVMH Prize finalist. (The LVMH Prize winners will be announced on 10 September.)

Chanel on 1 October will hold its first ready-to-wear show since Virginie Viard bowed out, designed by the studio. Dries Van Noten’s collection will also be by the studio, after the eponymous designer bid farewell in June. Other highlights will include Dior, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Loewe, Chloé, Balmain, Alexander McQueen, Hermès, The Row and Victoria Beckham. After Louis Vuitton closes the curtain of the official calendar on 1 October, fashion week-goers will spend the evening at Disneyland where Coperni is staging its show. With some dismantling of the Olympic installations still going on, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) has advised its members to avoid show venues in the Place de la Concorde area.

Peter Hawkings Exits Tom Ford

Peter Hawkings is exiting Tom Ford less than a year after taking over the creative director role from its eponymous founder, Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has confirmed. A successor has not yet been announced.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Peter for his exceptional contributions to Tom Ford from the very beginning,” said Guillaume Jesel, president and CEO of Tom Ford and luxury business development at ELC, in a statement. The spring/summer 2025 collection will be presented in the Milan showroom in September 2024.

"I want to thank Peter for his collaboration since Tom Ford Fashion became part of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group. Along with his team, Peter has contributed to this important initial phase of development. I wish him all the best in his next chapter,” added Lelio Gavazza, CEO of Tom Ford Fashion.

Tom Ford himself stepped down from the brand in 2023 following its $2.8 billion (£2.2 million) sale to ELC the year before. Hawkings made his debut as the brand’s creative lead in September 2023, following nearly 25 years working alongside its founder, first at Gucci and then at Tom Ford, which was established in 2005.

Until Ford’s exit in early 2023, Hawkings ran the brand’s menswear operation, which was based out of London and launched in 2007. Since taking on the creative director role, he has integrated the formerly US-based womenswear design studio into the London menswear operation.

Shortly before showing that first collection, Hawkings told Vogue about the moment when, in November 2022, Ford privately revealed his plans to sell the brand and step down. He said: “I honestly never, ever thought that Tom would ever sell. I thought he would be one of the Ralph Laurens of the world and continue and continue. So he dropped that bombshell — and then the second bombshell was that he was putting me forward for creative director.”

Hawkings’s sudden exit will lead to instant speculation as to who might be be anointed as Tom Ford’s second successor. The founder’s codes of precisely honed high-octane sensuality are extremely distinct, but cannot merely be parroted in order for the brand to continue to develop.

In April 2023, it was revealed that Ford had sold his eponymous brand in a deal that saw his existing partners in beauty, eyewear and ready-to-wear assume control. Tom Ford International, the company responsible for the Tom Ford fashion business, was fully acquired by the Milan-based Zegna Group. The acquisition was part of a joint operation led by Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), Tom Ford’s existing beauty partner, and Marcolin, its eyewear partner.

Under the terms of the deal, Zegna Group has a 20-year license agreement to produce Tom Ford Fashion, with a 10-year renewal option. Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Zegna Group, told Vogue Business that a key factor in his company’s successful acquisition was its existing relationship with Ford: it first worked with the designer to produce his tailored menswear when he was at Gucci and later inked an agreement to produce Tom Ford’s menswear (designed by Hawkings), when it launched in 2006. Said Zegna: “Then, in 2016, we bought 15 per cent of Tom Ford International, on the fashion side, and I entered the board, and we became more close.”

When Ford decided to cash out, says Zegna, there was interest “from a good number of players more important than us. But with Estée Lauder, we won because they gave credit to our [existing] partnership and the job that we had already done.”

It is understood that Zegna’s prime ambition for Tom Ford ready-to-wear is to expand its womenswear sales, which, in 2023, accounted for 30 per cent of Tom Ford International’s revenues. Today’s news suggests that the next creative director will focus the brand in that direction; Hawkings, for his part, is a seasoned menswear designer.

The NYFW S/S´25 Schedule Is Out

Summer is at its peak right now, which means it’s time to start thinking about the September shows. The spring/summer 2025 New York Fashion Week schedule may be small, but it’s chock full of surprises.

The week will officially kick off on Friday 6 September at 1pm with Area, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. It’ll be a big day for the city, with Collina Strada and Willy Chavarria also holding shows on opening day. They’ll be joined by Pieter Mulier, who opted out of Alaïa’s usual off-calendar slot adjacent to the Paris couture season in favour of an off-calendar show in the Big Apple. The Belgian designer is no stranger to the city, having spent a few years here alongside Raf Simons during the Calvin Klein 205W39NYC era. Last month, he told Vogue, “New York has a very special significance to me. It’s the city of resilience. And resilience is the feeding ground for creativity. My time in New York has not only shaped my artistic vision, but has become an integral part of who I am. It’s where Alaïa’s story intersects with the heartbeat of the world. New York isn’t just a destination; it’s a homecoming, a celebration of the past, present, and future of Alaïa.”

Alaïa is not the only European brand jumping the Atlantic this season; Ib Kamara’s second outing as the official creative director for Off-White will take place on Sunday 8 September at noon, while Ronald van der Kemp will be showing his autumn/winter 2024 couture collection on Wednesday 11 September at 11am, and after a stop in Paris, Stockholm’s Elin Kling and Karl Lindman of Toteme will be holding their show on Tuesday 10 September at 10am. Campillo, the Mexican brand helmed by Patricio Campillo, who was recently named an LVMH Prize finalist, will also be holding its first fashion show in the city on Saturday 7 September at 9am.

Who Decides War is back on the official schedule, showing on Saturday 7 September at 1pm, as is Rio Sport, Rio Uribe’s newly-christened brand, which is showing on Wednesday 11 September at 1pm. The week will feature a large contingent of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists – Kate Barton, Grace Ling, Jane Wade and Wiederhoeft are back on the schedule, while 5000’s Taylor Thompson, Sebastien Ami and Presley Oldham are making their debuts. Melitta Baumeister, the winner of last year’s CVFF will be closing NYFW with her first-ever fashion show taking place on the 11th at 5pm.

A few big designers are missing from the schedule this season, including Altuzarra, Helmut Lang, Gabriela Hearst, Fforme, Proenza Schouler and Ralph Lauren, but for the latter two, it is simply because they are holding shows before the official week kicks off. Proenza Schouler will stage an intimate presentation on Wednesday 4 September, while Ralph Lauren will be taking guests to the Hamptons on Thursday 5 September.

Ib Kamara On Its NYFW Debut

Off-White was created by the late Virgil Abloh, an Illinois-born visionary of Ghanaian descent. It is headquartered in Milan, and shows in Paris. All this makes it a brand that defies national categorisation, which is one part of its international appeal. However what seems almost remiss is that during nine years of operation there has never yet been an Off-White show in the United States. So this September, the brand will make its debut at New York Fashion Week.

“Bringing Off-White to New York has been on the cards for so long,” explained Ib Kamara on a call. Kamara was the long-standing stylist for Off-White, and worked alongside Abloh until the founder’s death in late 2021. Since then, he has taken up the mantle as the brand’s creative director. And he shared on the call that Abloh had originally planned to bring Off-White to New York at the beginning of 2022, a plan that was placed on hold after his passing.

“Now the time feels right to show up,” said Kamara: “It feels natural to grow and show where so much of the community around the brand is. I think it will be amazing and feel great for Off-White to show for the first time in the city.” Of New York, he added: “It’s common ground – a melting pot where everybody is equal.”

Coperni Will Close The S/S´25 Season At Disneyland Paris

A spray-on dress modelled by Bella Hadid, robotic dogs on the runway, sonic experiments inside the IRCAM in Paris: in recent years, Coperni’s Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer have established their independent label as one of Paris Fashion Week’s must-see shows through their experiments with technology and their unusual choice of locations. But their spring/summer 2025 show promises to knock all their previous viral moments out of the water. Coperni will close the season at the iconic Disneyland Paris amusement park. This is the first time the park has hosted a fashion show in its 32-year history.

“The Disney team had approached us to work on a different project,” Vaillant recalled in their makeshift showroom in New York earlier this summer. “We met at our studio in Paris, and in the middle of the meeting, Sébastien was like, ‘Guys, we should have a show at the park,’ and they thought it was a good idea.” Of course, this wasn’t just a case of waving a magic wand around and saying “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo” and getting it done. “It’s a lot of approvals, as you can imagine. We spoke with so many different people from all their different teams, and finally, they said yes.”

Meyer and Vaillant won’t reveal all the tricks they have up their sleeves just yet, but production plans are apparently already underway. Naturally, we can expect some Disney princesses – and even villains – to influence the collection. “We’re going to play with the glamorous side and the youthful side, but we’re also bringing some tech elements; there is a big tech aspect at Disney as well,” Vaillant added, citing Disney’s legendary Imagineering research lab. “It’s so exciting.”

“It’s going to be such a beautiful moment. You know Disney touches everyone,” Vaillant added. “It’s going to be complicated, but it’s going to be worth it.” This season’s lucky guests – which will include the French duo’s bevy of cool It girls and boy fans, along with Mickey, Minnie and the rest of the gang – may even get to celebrate the end of fashion month atop a roller coaster, something that’s sure to put a smile on the face of even the most jaded fashion follower.

London’s Lightroom Exhibition Will Consider The History Of The Runway Show

Vogue: Inventing the Runway, an immersive new exhibition exploring the history of the modern runway show, will open this autumn at Lightroom in London. With the space’s astonishing four-story-tall walls as a backdrop, from 25 October visitors can experience and interact with era-defining runway presentations up close, and at an unprecedented scale. The exhibition’s production will combine animation, state-of-the-art sound design, and a score of classical and pop music to evoke the many iconic shows that have helped shape the cultural landscape.

“At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves,” says Anna Wintour, chief content officer, Condé Nast, and global editorial director, Vogue. “This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”

Extending from the intimate couture salons of early 20th-century Europe to the mass-media extravaganzas of today, Inventing the Runway connects the past to the present and future of fashion, utilising Vogue’s extensive archive and contributor network to create an experience that unites the industry’s leading creative voices.

With a robust mix of participating fashion houses, including Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Chanel, Comme des Garçons, Dior, Iris Van Herpen, Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne and Yohji Yamamoto, the exhibition will examine how fashion shows became the ultimate statement of a designer’s vision.
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Valery Koshlyakov

Hidden away at 19 Rue de Varenne in Paris's chic 7th arrondissement, the Secret Gallery is a cutting-edge art and design space founded by Nathalie Elmaleh and Laurent Teboul. Both collectors and scenographers, they bring a fresh, innovative vision to the gallery. The main exhibition space hosts three meticulously curated thematic exhibitions annually, designed to evoke deep emotion. Artworks and design pieces are presented in settings that mimic a home, an artist's studio, or a collector's loft, creating an intimate, immersive experience.

¨Each exhibition invites visitors to dream, explore, and curate their own collection. The Secret Gallery shares its artistic sensibility, guiding art enthusiasts in acquiring pieces that reflect their individuality, within a captivating universe where art and design converge to create an unparalleled experience.¨ - Nathalie Elmaleh

The gallery features design pieces by renowned architect and designer Reda Amalou, showcasing collections inspired by 20th-century aesthetics. Celebrating materials like walnut, bronze, leather, glass, eggshell, and lacquer, each piece offers a luxurious, textured experience. In the art realm, the Secret Gallery presents a unique concept where 20th-century masters engage in a dialogue with cutting-edge contemporary artists. Exhibitions feature specially created works or selected pieces from existing collections, chosen for their emotional depth and personal expression, free from traditional constraints.

Famous artworks have permeated everyday urban environments, appearing on subway walls, in underground passages, and even on product packaging and advertisements. In these diverse settings, they acquire new meanings and functions. Simultaneously, collectors and the art market avidly pursue genuine pieces by renowned artists, showcasing modern society’s deep appreciation for original masterpieces. Uncovering an authentic piece today would be a discovery of monumental significance, eagerly awaited by the market, akin to the unearthing of a significant archaeological find.

Known for its intimate and innovative exhibitions that blend contemporary art and design, the Secret Gallery is currently hosting Valery Koshlyakov's groundbreaking work for the next few months. This collaboration perfectly aligns with the gallery's ethos of pushing artistic boundaries and creating immersive experiences. Koshlyakov's unique use of adhesive tape to recreate masterpieces mirrors the gallery's commitment to presenting art in unexpected ways, transforming traditional concepts into fresh, evocative forms. As Koshlyakov's works reinterpret iconic art within everyday urban contexts, the Secret Gallery offers the ideal venue for this dialogue between past and present, inviting visitors to explore the enduring power and relevance of classical art in a contemporary setting. This exhibition promises to captivate art enthusiasts, providing a rare opportunity to experience Koshlyakov's innovative approach within the gallery's distinctive, thought-provoking atmosphere.

In response to this fervor, artists propose projects that reproduce the great artworks we yearn for. In 1999, Valery Koshlyakov introduced his "applicative museums" during exhibitions in Russian museums, later expanding to Europe in 2002 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna and in 2004 at the Kunsthalle in Baden-Baden. In 2009, after participating in an exhibition at the Louvre, Koshlyakov was invited by museum curator Dimitri Salmon to the Jean-Auguste Ingres Museum. There, Koshlyakov created La Baigneuse de Valpinçon using scotch tape, demonstrating how modern reproductions can breathe new life into classical masterpieces.

Working with adhesive tape allows for quick reproduction of objects, enabling Valery Koshlyakov to create freely inspired copies of masterpieces and cultural symbols from painting, sculpture, and architecture. Contemporary art employs various methods and materials, and Koshlyakov's choice of adhesive tape—a non-traditional, everyday technical material—stands out. In an era brimming with possibilities, Koshlyakov deliberately selects this rough, shiny, and plastic medium, starkly contrasting the soft, nuanced textures of traditional painting.

Adhesive tape might initially seem a crude, anti-art statement. Instead of canvas, Koshlyakov "paints" with tape directly on walls or plastic surfaces. He layers broad strips of tape like a glaze or expressive brushstrokes, using the synthetic, limited palette to achieve a raw, brutal aesthetic. This approach doesn't aim to mock or desecrate classical painting but rather highlights its enduring power. Koshlyakov's work demonstrates that regardless of the medium, the essence of great art can maintain its grandeur and inspire hope, even in times of crisis. His technique underscores the timeless resilience of art, proving that its impact transcends the materials used to create it. The Valery Koshlyakov exhibition is currently running at the Secret Gallery until 20th July 2024, with walk-in´s and private viewings both welcomed.

Paris Couture Week - Autumn / Winter 2024

The imminent arrival of the Paris Olympics is the talk of Haute Couture Week, influencing this season’s collections in significant ways. At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri drew inspiration from the classical silhouettes of the event’s Ancient Greek origins. Thom Browne, on the other hand, infused his designs with elements of American sportswear, concluding his runway show with a unique medal ceremony. Instead of the Chaumet-designed medals of the actual games, models donned blazers embroidered in gold, silver, and bronze.

¨Adding to the prestigious atmosphere, four-time gold medalist Serena Williams occupied a prominent front-row seat, joining the usual array of high-profile guests who travel to Paris for these exclusive shows. Haute couture, a legally protected term, represents the pinnacle of French craftsmanship, featuring made-to-order gowns constructed entirely by hand for discerning private clients.¨ - Charles Daniel McDonald

Elsewhere during the week, the first Chanel show since the departure of creative director Virginie Viard took place yesterday, with a successor yet to be announced. Additionally, Nicolas di Felice of Courrèges presented a guest collection for Jean Paul Gaultier on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of previous guest designers such as Simone Rocha, Haider Ackermann, and Olivier Rousteing. The week was rounded out with shows from Armani Privé, Balenciaga, and Viktor & Rolf.

BALENCIAGA

Balenciaga’s latest couture collection was showcased in the historic salons on Avenue George V, recently renovated by current creative director Demna to evoke a sense of stepping back in time. “For me, it’s very important for it to feel like a special place… it is the same place where Cristóbal used to be... he would look out of the window and see the same trees,” Demna quoted last year. This season, Demna drew inspiration from the "streetwear, goth, skater, and metalhead subcultures," blending these influences with the grandeur of mid-century haute couture. “This couture collection is a tribute to subculture dress codes as important influences to my fashion vocabulary,” said the Georgian designer.

Demna reinterpreted Cristóbal Balenciaga’s iconic designs through his unique lens, presenting abundant, cocooning silhouettes crafted from denim, leather, and nylon. The final look, designed to disintegrate as it was worn, used over 47 meters of nylon. Everyday items were elevated, such as a sharply cut T-shirt made from black scuba satin, which Demna compared to Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup series. The collection notes stated, “Demna is interested in not only object intrigue itself, but also the techniques used to elevate said object into an art form.”

Dramatic millinery, created in collaboration with artists Ni Hao and Alastair Gibson, recalled traditional couture headpieces but was constructed from unconventional materials like T-shirts set in resin or carbon fiber. The butterfly emerged as the collection’s symbol, featured on masks worn by models, representing transformation and fleeting beauty. “These creatures are beautiful and extraordinary – they are of a perfect design,” Demna remarked.

ARMANI PRIVÉ

Giorgio Armani's latest Privé collection was a quest for serenity, drawing inspiration from the lustrous surface of pearls. The Palais de Tokyo showspace featured a pearl-like runway, setting the tone for an evening of elegance. Armani's devoted celebrity muses, including Cate Blanchett, Eva Green, and Naomie Harris, looked on as the veteran designer showcased a collection focused on surface and texture.

The collection began with molten lamé tailoring and extraordinary beaded gowns, progressing to pieces entirely covered in shimmering crystals. Silhouettes clung closely to the body, exemplified by a series of black gowns in velvet or sequins that accentuated the waist—likely to captivate his famous fans. Playful flourishes, such as bouncing feathered headpieces, added a touch of whimsy. “Gentle and enchanting,” Mr. Armani described his collection, taking a beaming finale bow flanked by two of the models.

CHANEL

Chanel debuted its first collection since the departure of former creative director Virginie Viard with a show at the iconic Palais Garnier, the city's opera house. Instead of the grand constructed set pieces favored by Viard and her predecessor Karl Lagerfeld, the ornate atrium and sweeping marble staircase provided the elegant backdrop. This setting imbued the collection, designed by Chanel's in-house team known as the 'Fashion Creation Studio,' with a sense of realism, as if the models were casually strolling through the corridors after an evening at the opera.

Despite the more subdued setting, the collection featured the requisite drama for an haute couture show. Taffeta capes and frilled collars added a theatrical flair, while the season’s tweeds were lavishly embellished with jewelry-like adornments and feathers sprouting from sleeves and hems. References to opera and ballet—such as Le Train Bleu and Apollon Musagète, for which Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel designed costumes in the 1920s—were evident in tutu-like ruffles and bows adorning each model’s hair.

Even without a creative director, the show demonstrated the enduring strength of Chanel's house codes. As for who will next reinterpret these iconic elements, the fashion world continues to speculate.

DIOR

it was inevitable that the Paris Olympics would influence the season’s collections. The city is already being transformed by the games' architecture, with vast stands rising at Place de la Concorde and along the Seine’s bridges, though not without some grumbling from residents about traffic and the imminent QR codes that will restrict neighborhood travel during the games. Maria Grazia Chiuri was the first to explicitly reference the Olympics during haute couture week, drawing inspiration from the classical roots of the games in Ancient Greece. Her collection featured garments that draped toga-like on the body and referenced the 'peplos,' a garment made from a single piece of cloth folded at the waist. Chiuri noted that this silhouette had inspired Christian Dior himself, but she modernized it by using jersey fabric—typically associated with sportswear—instead of the traditional haute couture fabrics the house founder would have used.

Chiuri's reference point was the 1924 Olympics, also held in Paris, when women were still fighting to compete. New fabrics like jersey, first utilized by Coco Chanel in 1916 due to wartime fabric shortages, signaled a mood of liberation in women's clothing. This was a fitting reference for Chiuri, a feminist designer who has long opposed the notion that couture must constrain the body. Her collection exuded effortless and airy elegance, undoubtedly appealing to the house’s clients amid Paris’ sweltering heat. “This collection represents an extraordinary opportunity to combine couture and sportswear with classicism, rebellion, collective energy, and, above all, the political value of the female body,” Chiuri stated in the collection notes. “It allows me to assert the power of haute couture actions, imagining the elegance of a woman who is both delicate and strong. A woman who performs just as well as a man.”

THOM BROWNE

Last year, as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of his eponymous brand, American designer Thom Browne staged his first-ever haute couture show in Paris. His sophomore couture collection at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs showcased a designer already mastering the medium, blending imaginative runway presentations with extraordinary feats of embellishment and craftsmanship. The show opened with male models clad in white Thom Browne skirt suits playing a game of tug-of-war, echoing the Olympic inspiration seen at Dior.

For this collection, Browne reimagined and deconstructed classic American sportswear—such as the tailored sportscoat, swim trunk, and pleated tennis skirt—crafted primarily from white muslin, a nod to toiles, the draft versions of garments typically made from this fabric. Guests were even instructed to dress in muslin coats, which doubled as the collection’s invitations. Browne’s creative flair was evident in the playful layering, cinching, and corseting of these archetypal garments, adorned with sweeping embroidery and embellishment.

In true couture fashion, the show concluded with Anna Cleveland as the bride, her gown blossoming into a vast array of white flowers along its back, each painstakingly crafted from fabric. The final scene resembled a medal ceremony, with three models in gold, silver, and bronze embroidered jackets standing on a podium for the show’s final tableau. “Couture is the Olympics of fashion,” remarked the designer.

SCHIAPARELLI

Daniel Roseberry hosted his latest couture show in the basement of the stately Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, a departure from the ornate, gilded salons where many runway shows from Valentino to Maison Margiela have taken place. The dimly lit space, illuminated only by a series of chandeliers, set the stage for Roseberry's collection titled "The Phoenix." This theme was inspired by a coq-feathered stole worn by house founder Elsa Schiaparelli to the opening of the Ambassadeurs restaurant in Paris in 1941. Hand-painted by artist Jean Dunand and inspired by Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, the stole symbolized for Roseberry a vision of Schiaparelli as a rising phoenix, a "magical creature whose power lay in her ceaseless ability to reinvent—not only herself but fashion, too."

Drawing on this idea of rebirth, Roseberry's collection embraced free association rather than tidy thematics, with each look designed to stand alone and evoke emotion. "People don’t buy Schiaparelli; they collect it," Roseberry noted, emphasizing the unique nature of each piece. The show began with his own vision of a phoenix: a model in a velvet cape adorned with trompe l’oeil feathered embroidery in three-dimensional chrome. Subsequent pieces explored silhouette, featuring blown-up tailoring and sinuous sheer gowns cinched at the waist with corsets. Enormous bows, millefeuilles of ruffles, and variations on the opera coat referenced midcentury haute couture, particularly the 1950s.

"Each gown, each bustier, each shoe, every piece of folded velvet feather, or triple organza spike, seeks to catch the eye and hold it," Roseberry explained. "This is what makes haute couture so special: it’s an expression of my vision for the maison today, one free from marketing and merchandising. But it’s also something else: a way for me to honor that relationship, one of the most intimate ones in the world—the one in which I give women the power to be reborn, again and again and again."

Paris Haute Couture Week showcased a rich tapestry of creativity and inspiration, with designers drawing from diverse sources to present their latest collections. Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior looked to the classical roots of the Olympics, blending Ancient Greek silhouettes with modern fabrics. Thom Browne's collection at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs reimagined American sportswear through a couture lens, culminating in a whimsical medal ceremony. Chanel's show at Palais Garnier honored its heritage while awaiting a new creative director, and Giorgio Armani’s Privé collection sought serenity through pearl-inspired designs. Balenciaga, under Demna, melded subculture influences with mid-century haute couture in the brand’s historic salons. Finally, Daniel Roseberry’s collection for Schiaparelli, set in the basement of Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, evoked a sense of rebirth and transformation inspired by a storied past. Each show not only celebrated the enduring legacy of haute couture but also showcased the designers' ability to innovate and reinterpret tradition for the modern era.