Fashion week venues S/S 2013: womenswear collections

Floral print with a projected lion on the screen
Kenzo: In the dark, smoky interiors of Paris' La Maison du Judo, models walked along a narrow catwalk lined with floral prints, while the collection's inspiration images - from jungle views to abstract prints - were projected on a giant digital screen in the middle of the catwalk ring. Photography: Greg Kessler. Words: Rosa Bertoli
(Image credit: Greg Kessler)

Kenzo animal print bags on benches

Kenzo: On each seat was a box printed in the same jungle-themed patterns as the set and filled with snacks from Momofuku Milk Bar. 

Photography: Greg Kessler

(Image credit: Greg Kessler)

Pillars either side of the runway

Miu Miu: With the help of its long time collaborator AMO, Miu Miu staged an 'architectural investigation' of the August Perret-designed Palace D'Iena. Using the ground floor hall space, the Rotterdam-based office installed a series of three-dimensional seating devices that allowed for multiple views of the centralised catwalk

(Image credit: press)

Wooden blocks used as benches with a wooden runway

Miu Miu: With the help of its long time collaborator AMO, Miu Miu staged an 'architectural investigation' of the August Perret-designed Palace D'Iena. Using the ground floor hall space, the Rotterdam-based office installed a series of three-dimensional seating devices that allowed for multiple views of the centralised catwalk

(Image credit: press)

Four escalators with models stnading on them

Louis Vuitton: Marc Jacobs' latest collection for the brand focused on its iconic Damier print, which artist Daniel Buren also drew on for the show set at the Palais Royal. The models descended four sets of escalators in pairs, before stepping onto a wide, lime green shiny checkerboard catwalk

(Image credit: press)

White and yellow room, with yellow cushions

Louis Vuitton: Marc Jacobs' latest collection for the brand focused on its iconic Damier print, which artist Daniel Buren also drew on for the show set at the Palais Royal. The models descended four sets of escalators in pairs, before stepping onto a wide, lime green shiny checkerboard catwalk

(Image credit: press)

white windmills in a room

Chanel: The Grand Palais once again served as the dramatic venue for Chanel. With the focus of the show being on 'energy', models walked on blue hi-tech solar panels, while gigantic white wind turbines blew a summer breeze throughout the space

(Image credit: press)

Backdrop of the runway is mountains and snow

Rick Owens: A cascade of giant soapsuds formed the backdrop of Rick Owen's 'work in progress' catwalk, gradually gathering into a fluffy mountain of foam by the time the show reached its finale. Photography: Valerio Mezzanotti / www.nowfashion.com

(Image credit: Valerio Mezzanotti)

Backdrop of the runway is mountains

Rick Owens: A cascade of giant soapsuds formed the backdrop of Rick Owen's 'work in progress' catwalk, gradually gathering into a fluffy mountain of foam by the time the show reached its finale. Photography: Valerio Mezzanotti / www.nowfashion.com

(Image credit: Valerio Mezzanotti)

Many models walking the runway in front of a mountain backdrop

Rick Owens: A cascade of giant soapsuds formed the backdrop of Rick Owen's 'work in progress' catwalk, gradually gathering into a fluffy mountain of foam by the time the show reached its finale. Photography: Valerio Mezzanotti / www.nowfashion.com

(Image credit: Valerio Mezzanotti)

White room, with light pink curtains and black chairs

Christian Dior: Raf Simons worked with Bureau Betak to design the set for his first pret-a-porter show at Christian Dior, playing with contrasting tones and textures. Glossy black chairs sat alongside pastel pink, canary yellow and baby blue curtains, which gently wafted over the windows and passageways cut into the white walls of the space

(Image credit: press)

Models on runway with water

Moncler Gamme Rouge: For Spring, Moncler's catwalk aptly took the form of a swimming pool, surrounded by wooden decking. A set of swings and trampolines recreated the playful, summery atmospheres of Italian Lidos

(Image credit: press)

Catwalk with pool in the middle

Moncler Gamme Rouge: For Spring, Moncler's catwalk aptly took the form of a swimming pool, surrounded by wooden decking. A set of swings and trampolines recreated the playful, summery atmospheres of Italian Lidos

(Image credit: press)

Models walking on catwalk with a pool in the middle

Moncler Gamme Rouge: For Spring, Moncler's catwalk aptly took the form of a swimming pool, surrounded by wooden decking. A set of swings and trampolines recreated the playful, summery atmospheres of Italian Lidos

(Image credit: press)

Silver hanging balls from the ceiling over catwalk

Fendi: The Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro in Milan served as the show space for Fendi. The playfully surreal set's walls were lined with geometric stripes, while large silver balloons hung above the catwalk

(Image credit: press)

Large metal lights, lighting the room

Prada: The Italian brand once again tasked AMO to transform its via Fogazzaro headquarters in Milan. The Rotterdam-based studio created a graphic structure of black columns, using the same material for the suspended rectangle of lights and the catwalk rails

(Image credit: press)

room with a scaffolding structure

Roland Mouret: Thierry Dreyfus and his Eyesight Production team transformed the Hotel Westin's Salon Impérial with a striking scaffolding structure of stroboscopic light tubes, which played with the space's 19th century features

Photography: Mathias Wendzinski

(Image credit: Mathias Wendzinski)

Roland Mouret: Thierry Dreyfus and his Eyesight Production team transformed the Hotel Westin's Salon Impérial with a striking scaffolding structure of stroboscopic light tubes, which played with the space's 19th century features

swirly pattern lights on the runway

Alexander McQueen: Sarah Burton's bee-inspired collection was brought to life on set by seamlessly integrated moving imagery and sound. Models walked on a honeycomb-patterned catwalk, while a screen behind them played a film by John Maybury. The English filmmaker's second collaboration with the brand was created in a extremely wide-screen format to emulate the staging of Kabuki theatre at Kabuki-Za in Tokyo. He drew images from nature in response to particular embroideries and fabrics in Burton's collection, creating a giant mood board effect. This came accompanied by a sound track of tunes interlaced with abstract bee noises, conjured by John Gosling

(Image credit: press)

Fire on the backdrop and models wearing big red dresses

Alexander McQueen: Sarah Burton's bee-inspired collection was brought to life on set by seamlessly integrated moving imagery and sound. Models walked on a honeycomb-patterned catwalk, while a screen behind them played a film by John Maybury. The English filmmaker's second collaboration with the brand was created in a extremely wide-screen format to emulate the staging of Kabuki theatre at Kabuki-Za in Tokyo. He drew images from nature in response to particular embroideries and fabrics in Burton's collection, creating a giant mood board effect. This came accompanied by a sound track of tunes interlaced with abstract bee noises, conjured by John Gosling

(Image credit: press)

Industrial railings providing light for the runway

Paul Smith: Over at Central Saint Martins' brand new Granary Building near London's Kings Cross, Paul Smith's Miller Kavari-produced show featured minimal black benches and a white catwalk, making the most of the space's striking interiors

(Image credit: press)

Photo of lighting rails

Paul Smith: Over at Central Saint Martins' brand new Granary Building near London's Kings Cross, Paul Smith's Miller Kavari-produced show featured minimal black benches and a white catwalk, making the most of the space's striking interiors

(Image credit: press)

room covered in floor to ceiling sheets of white plastic

Maison Martin Margiela: The conceptual label's Spring show was held in a literal bubble. The ornate interior of the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild was virtually unrecognisable after it was shrouded from floor to ceiling in sheets of white plastic. Light artist Thierry Dreyfus created a surreal atmosphere by flooding the room with bright sunlight, using huge cinematic lights outside the windows

(Image credit: press)

floor to ceiling sheets of plastic

Maison Martin Margiela: The conceptual label's Spring show was held in a literal bubble. The ornate interior of the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild was virtually unrecognisable after it was shrouded from floor to ceiling in sheets of white plastic. Light artist Thierry Dreyfus created a surreal atmosphere by flooding the room with bright sunlight, using huge cinematic lights outside the windows

(Image credit: press)

Foreign & Commonwealth office in London used as a catwalk

Vivienne Westwood Red Label: As part of the designer's celebration of British talent (she was chosen as a representative for the Great Britain Worldwide initiative) Vivienne Westwood held her Red Label show in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. The marbled floor of the building's stunning interior was used as the catwalk

(Image credit: press)

Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London's ceiling

Vivienne Westwood Red Label: As part of the designer's celebration of British talent (she was chosen as a representative for the Great Britain Worldwide initiative) Vivienne Westwood held her Red Label show in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. The marbled floor of the building's stunning interior was used as the catwalk

(Image credit: press)

staggered seating on either side of the runway

Chloé: Daylight pierced through the crystal roof of the Espace Ephemere in the Jardins des Tuileries, casting a fresh glow over this OBO-produced show. The wooden runway came in the house's signature shade of 'beige-rosé'

(Image credit: press)

white cube benches and large mosaic effect on the wall

Rochas: Thierry Dreyfus created a white show space for the Rochas' show in Paris' Grand Palais, lined with white cube benches. A large translucent mosaic formed the catwalk's backdrop

(Image credit: press)

Black stairs and runway

Neil Barrett: In the brand's small-scale presentation in Paris' Salle Erard, models stepped out from behind a theatrical set printed with images from the catwalk itself

(Image credit: press)

Black benches and muted lighting

Hermès: At the Galerie Nationale Jeu De Paume, Hermès charged Etienne Russo and his Villa Eugenie team with creating an intimate and minimal setting for the show, consisting of black benches and muted lighting accents

(Image credit: press)

Large red cube in the middle of the room as centre piece

Givenchy: The centrepiece of the show in the Lycée Carnot's majestic Hall Guy Môquet was an oversized mahogany organ, framed by a red cube. The modern, transportable instrument was invented by French engineer Henri Bouffard, who also provided the live musical accompaniment to the show

(Image credit: press)

Large red cube in the middle of the room

Givenchy: The centrepiece of the show in the Lycée Carnot's majestic Hall Guy Môquet was an oversized mahogany organ, framed by a red cube. The modern, transportable instrument was invented by French engineer Henri Bouffard, who also provided the live musical accompaniment to the show

(Image credit: press)

Large white space with seating on 3 sides

Jil Sander: Thierry Dreyfus transformed the via Beltrami space beyond recognition by raising the floor and lowering the ceiling with stark white panels, each bearing a subtle concave/convex distortion in the centre. The minimal space followed the brand's partiality for simplicity, with lighting once again being key to the space

(Image credit: press)

White room with black lighting racks

Jil Sander: Thierry Dreyfus transformed the via Beltrami space beyond recognition by raising the floor and lowering the ceiling with stark white panels, each bearing a subtle concave/convex distortion in the centre. The minimal space followed the brand's partiality for simplicity, with lighting once again being key to the space

(Image credit: press)

Green trees and foliage

Akris: Albert Kriemler's collection for Akris' 90th anniversary was heavily influenced by Brazilian landscape artist Roberto Burle Marx, whose curvaceous designs featured as prints on clothing and accessories. In Palais de Chaillot, the models emerged from a tropical garden created by artist Laurence Mendioni

(Image credit: press)

White futuristic room

The futuristic Topshop show space over in London, with its spaceship-like catwalk, was the location for J.W. Anderson, as well as a number of other brands this season, such as Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou

(Image credit: press)

Futuristic exterior of a building

The futuristic Topshop show space over in London, with its spaceship-like catwalk, was the location for J.W. Anderson, as well as a number of other brands this season, such as Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou

(Image credit: press)

Cross grain wood seating and runway

Valentino: Blush pink seats framed Valentino's runway in Jardin des Tuileries at Espace Ephemere Tuileres. The catwalk was lined by a pavement of cross-grain wood tiles

(Image credit: press)

translucent plastic chairs along the catwalk

Max Mara: Rows of Philippe Starck's Victoria Ghost chairs for Kartell lined each side of the u-shaped catwalk, with the camel-coloured screen bearing the fashion house's logo serving as backdrop

(Image credit: press)

A downtown new york looking large space with metal seating

Trussardi: The wide via Savona space in Milan was transformed into a Manhattan rooftop. Referencing the collection's urban influences, images of downtown New York were projected on the entrance walls and at the back of the catwalk, which was furnished to resemble a rooftop summer party, complete with graffiti, a barbecue and lounge areas

(Image credit: TBC)

Space in Milan was transformed into a Manhattan rooftop with graffiti

Trussardi: The wide via Savona space in Milan was transformed into a Manhattan rooftop. Referencing the collection's urban influences, images of downtown New York were projected on the entrance walls and at the back of the catwalk, which was furnished to resemble a rooftop summer party, complete with graffiti, a barbecue and lounge areas

(Image credit: press)
Fashion Features Editor

Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*. Having previously held roles at 10, 10 Men and AnOther magazines, he joined the team in 2022. His work has a particular focus on the moments where fashion and style intersect with other creative disciplines – among them art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and profiling the industry’s leading figures and brands.