Scene setting: In Paris, the silhouette is in the spotlight. At Maison Margiela, John Galliano’s exploration of reduced shapes in their purest form, worked as an antidote to the kaleidoscopic aesthetic of his Artisanal show in January. At Loewe, Jonathan Anderson’s pared-back show space emphasised the microscopic lens he applied to his A/W 2019 clothing. For Balenciaga’s S/S 2019 show last season, a tube-like show set with a video installation provided by Canada-born video artist Jon Rafman, brought a trippy, digitally immersive note to proceedings. Strobe lighting and a pulsating illuminated ceiling may have been part of the maison’s A/W 2019 showset at Luc Besson’s Cité du Cinema building in the suburbs of St Denis, but its asphalt-lined floor alluded to a collection centred on the real, city streets of Paris.
Mood board: Men’s and women’s tailoring was sharp and featured a slightly exaggerated shoulder. There was incredible precision in sweeping overcoats, with square proportions and an oblique silhouette. Creative director Demna Gvasalia brings a modern and hyperbolic take on the codes of Balencaiga – a maison renowned for its avant-garde silhouettes, from the cocoon coat to the puff ball dress. The most subversive Balenciaga customers will fall for blouses with huge high-necked collars, cagoules with leg of mutton sleeves and saucy leather coats. But there’s plenty here for the regular pounding the pavements too. Those smart suits, bold sweaters and sweeping column dresses have a universal appeal.
Finishing touches: Gvasalia’s accessories had an air of the urban walker. There were Balenciaga logo or grocer’s branded shopping bags and leather water bottle holders emblazoned with ‘I love Paris’ typography. Fine fodder for the modern flâneur.
Balenciaga A/W 2019
Balenciaga A/W 2019
Balenciaga A/W 2019
Balenciaga A/W 2019
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Discover midcentury treasures in Marylebone with Álvaro by AppointmentLondon is full of sequestered design havens, and Wallpaper* knows them all. Allow us to point you in the direction of Álvaro González’s shop window on Nottingham Place, home to a bonanza of beautiful 20th-century antiques
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Beach chic: the all-new Citroën Ami gets an acid-tinged, open-air Buggy variantCitroën have brought a dose of polychromatic playfulness to their new generation Ami microcar, the cult all-ages electric quadricycle that channels the spirit of the 2CV for the modern age
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Wallpaper* checks in at Rosewood Miyakojima: ‘Japan, but not as most people know it’Rosewood Miyakojima offers a smooth balance of intuitive Japanese ‘omotenashi’ fused with Rosewood’s luxury edge
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
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Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
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From The Simpsons to the European Parliament: best Balenciaga show sets‘Ay, caramba!' In celebration of The Simpsons-inspired Balenciaga S/S 2022 runway show, which saw the residents of Springfield descend onto the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week, we present the best recent fashion show sets from the Parisian maison
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Walk this way: navigating S/S 2021's Paris Fashion WeekHow the City of Lights looked to the sartorial realities of our much changed lifestyles
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Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s -
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
