"What is missing from a lot of fashion these days is fun, joy. Where is the joy?" Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike recently asked journalist Lauren Sherman on her Fashion People podcast. Across the industry, there have been conversations about the state of fashion—a changing of the guard among creative directors, a shifting tide for retailers, the impact the upcoming Olympics in Paris will have—but one of the biggest topics is around how to bring the fun and storytelling (the joy!) back. Perhaps that is why there was such a strong reaction to John Galliano's spring 2024 couture collection last season. It felt like a glimpse at the nostalgic, cinematic, world-building moments we saw on the runways in past decades—a more theatrical, immersive runway experience than fashion has seen in many years. This week at the fall 2024 couture fashion week in Paris, we were again reminded about those elements of fun and creativity in fashion on the runways.
Daniel Roseberry invited us into his imaginative, creative world at Schiaparelli. Giorgio Armani flexed his mastery of craft just days before his 90th birthday, and models couldn't hold back their smiles while walking the runway. Chanel showcased one of its most elegant and opulent collections in years. Couture fashion week stood out for its moments of beauty and nostalgic joy. In his show notes, Roseberry reflected on what makes the art of 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."
Ahead, read more on the major moments from the fall 2024 couture collections.
Schiaparelli
After visiting the Musée D'Orsay to see the work of artists such as Edgar Degas, Roseberry came up with the concept of discovering the collections of masters from the past, which he explored in the fall 2024 Schiaparelli couture runway show. He turned to the past in many ways—putting modern spins on haute couture craft from the 1950s, experimenting with couture techniques like volume, and touching on design codes from the maison's archives. Even the dark, chandelier-lit room at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild and slow procession of models felt like a nod to couture shows of the earlier years. The show opened with a phoenix-like winged cape. In one look, a dramatic chartreuse satin bow clung to the bottom of a bustier gown. In another, an hourglass dress was finished with panels of sheer star-embellished tulle and draped fabrics cascading at the front and back. "I was told recently that 'People don't buy Schiaparelli—they collect it,'" Roseberry shared. Collectors will certainly be clamoring to acquire his latest couture designs.
Giorgio Armani Privé
The Giorgio Armani Privé fall 2024 couture collection was presented in Paris just days before Armani's 90th birthday. The magnificent collection showcased his craft as a modern master. The entire collection was built around pearls. Armani pointed out in the show notes that he was "sensing a widespread need for serenity" that he has seen dissipating from the world, so he designed the collection around pearls as a symbol of serene beauty and purity across cultures. Pearls took on many forms throughout the 90-look collection: encrusted on the bodices of strapless gowns, adorning velvet berets, embellishing sheer mesh maxi skirts, and even carried through to the glistening, creamy ivory and champagne palette that was a through line in the collection. Opulent, elegant, and subdued, the collection is the height of Armani's enduring craft and taste.
Chanel
Chanel reimagined classic house code at the fall 2024 couture show. After recently announcing the departure of Creative Director Virginie Viard, the collection was the work of the Fashion Creation Studio, according to show notes from the design house, and pays tribute to signature design motifs from the archives reimagined by 150 artisans in the ateliers. Chanel's couture runway show was held inside the Palais Garnier in Paris, a space that set the tone for the operatic show that both opened and closed with caped looks. Bows were executed in oversize proportions in the form of hair clips worn in nearly every look on the runway, belts tied at the waist, and straps on dresses. Skirt suits were finished with puffed sleeves and ruffled trim, showcased in opulent materials, and embroidered with feathers, beading, and cabochons. Skirt suits took on classic tweed, as did swinging duster coats. The colors—a palette of black, cream, pale pink, gold, silver, fuchsia, and celadon—felt like quintessential Chanel.
Christian Dior
Couture fashion week was moved a week earlier on the schedule this season because of the upcoming 2024 Olympics, which will be held in Paris in just a few weeks. While we saw elements of inspiration from the Olympic Games at men's fashion week and couture fashion week alike, they were central to the fall 2024 couture collection at Dior. "The arrival in Paris of the Games—the sacred embodiment of competition—incited Maria Grazia Chiuri to pay a fitting tribute to all athletes," the fashion house's show notes explained. The creative director explored the tie between performance and clothing and went back to the history of draping and its link to classic Greek statuary. As we welcome the opening ceremonies for the Paris Olympics, the collection was a fitting moment to celebrate sports and its historic connection to Greece through the lens of couture.
Thom Browne
The artful fall 2024 couture collection at Thom Browne took on deconstruction and proportion play. The collection focused on the starting points of couture from the atelier—muslin, toile, horsehair, cross-stitching—and used exposed versions of them in the final garments. "Sculptural works in progress reveal the beauty in the process," the show notes read. "Heritage techniques are realized, without compromise, in muslin—classic ideas, reconceptualized." The looks on the runway in effect showcase the craftsmanship that goes into designs themselves, shining a light on the art, skill, and artistry of haute couture. There was also a progression throughout the show with fully constructed and finished looks at the end of the show, including gold-embroidered pieces that took over 11,000 hours to complete and a le mariage gown.
Nicolas Di Felice for Jean Paul Gaultier
Since 2021, Jean Paul Gaultier has invited a new guest designer to create and present a haute couture collection, interpreting their vision of the house. Past talents have included Simone Rocha, Haider Ackermann, Rabanne's Julien Dossena, and Sacai's Chitose Abe, among others. The latest designer to land the guest gig? Nicolas Di Felice, who is the artistic director of Courrèges. The program allows a different creative to interpret the house codes of JPG, a true surprise and delightful moment at couture fashion week. For his interpretation, Di Felice took on the corset shape, a silhouette Gaultier redefined. It is a silhouette so iconic for the brand that its perfume bottle is designed around it. The looks ranged from exposed-corset dresses to styles designed around gowns and tailored outerwear. Hook-and-eyes were central to Di Felice's interpretation, with one dress constructed from 40,000 hook-and-eyes.
Balenciaga
For the 53rd couture collection at Balenciaga, archival silhouettes and techniques were reinterpreted by Demna with materials and references that wouldn't have been found in the collections of Cristóbal Balenciaga. Though couture for the fashion house is rooted in glamour, the latest showing used streetwear, goth, skater, and metalhead subcultures as points of inspiration. Opulent materials such as silk faille and satin were replaced with denim and nylon. Iconic shapes were revisited, including the cocoon silhouette, the three-quarter bell-shaped sleeve, and extravagant millinery.
