For a brief moment, after Celine canceled its men’s wear show in Paris because of the recent unrest in France, there were concerns about whether last week’s couture shows would go as planned. But by the time guests started to arrive at Alaïa, one of the first events of couture week, dutifully carrying the custom chairs that the brand had sent them to sit on, it had become clear: The shows would go on.
At Schiaparelli, gold adornments and the house’s signature Surrealist details were on full display. Thom Browne, for his debut couture show, turned an opera house into a wonderland full of fantastical suiting. Valentino showed ethereal gowns against the backdrop of the Château de Chantilly, a palatial property outside Paris and one of the most extraordinary venues I’ve ever photographed. Cardi B, who sat in several front rows, was seemingly the must-have celebrity guest of the season.
In the crowds outside the shows, there was noticeably less peacocking. Some people retired bright palettes for more subdued monochromatic looks. Others traded boxy clothes, which have dominated the style of guests and fans in recent years, for pieces with softer, more fluid silhouettes.