The Paris streets have long been buffed by the well-heeled fashion set, coming and going with religious zeal to see what they will be street-papped in the following season. As long as the world turns - and burns - there will be PFW schedules to pour over, a reassuring constancy. From February 27-March 7, the Autumn-Winter 2023 season concludes its dazzling three-month run, so here’s a nifty list of shows to keep an eye out for this time.
VAQUERA / February 27 / 8:30 PM
The New York girlies of Vaquera are looking to set Paris alight for the third time and we will be streaming.
CHRISTIAN DIOR / February 28 / 2:30 PM
Maria Grazia’s January couture outing in collaboration with the incredible Mickalene Thomas was a sight to see, does the winning streak continue?
DRIES VAN NOTEN / March 1 / 3 PM
A constant purveyor of well-considered cuts and prints, a DVN show is ne’er to be missed. It’s been 26 years since Dries Van Noten’s mainstream breakthrough Paris show - which is getting its due attention in Palais Galliera’s “1997: Fashion Big Bang” expo, opening March 7.
MERYLL ROGGE / March 1 / 3:30 PM
Immediately following her former boss, breakout Belgian designer and Antwerp Fashion Department grad Meryll Rogge will be showing her latest. Since launching her namesake brand in 2020, Rogge has been going from strength to strength - nabbing an LVMH Prize nomination in 2022.
PACO RABANNE / March 1 / 5:30 PM
Julien Dossena’s Paco Rabanne has yet to secure a standout mainstream moment, but after original founder Paco Rabanne’s passing earlier this year, more eyes will be on the brand to see how they push the visionary designer’s legacy forward.
OFF-WHITE / March 2 / 11:30 AM
Creative force Ibrahim Kamara is due to present his second full-season collection for Off-White and it’ll be most interesting to see how he continues to shape the brand. Isamaya Ffrench was named Off-White’s beauty curator a short while ago, so beauty devotees should key in on this one too.
GIVENCHY / MARCH 2 / 3:30 PM
Matthew M Williams’ Givenchy started with roiling hype and has since settled into a strong and stable presence, as Williams steadily tackles the house’s pantheon of accessories in pursuit of a global hit - the lodestar for any heritage brand looking to make their investors show a flicker of joy. Will this be it?
LOEWE / MARCH 3 / 11:30 AM
Jonathan Anderson has been so consistently good at Loewe that it’s not hard to believe 10 years have gone by already since his first takeover at the brand. Longevity like that is becoming more rarefied, let’s see what Anderson pulls out of his elephant-shaped, whip-stitched bag this time. More Riri-sanctioned red this way comes?
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD / MARCH 4 / 1 PM
It bears little explaining why this Westwood show carries intrinsic meaning, as it’s the first one since the legendary designer’s passing this year and memorial service just a week ago. Westwood’s widower Andreas Kronthaler has been co-creating and leading the Westwood brand for over 30 years, the house is fully in the most trusted hands possible now.
COMME DES GARÇONS / MARCH 4 / 5PM
As Rei Kawakubo is wont to share little reasoning behind her motives, here comes mine for watching the show: it’s Comme des Garçons!
FLORENTINA LEITNER / MARCH 4 / 5:30 PM
Another Antwerp Fashion Department alum and former Dries designer to keep an eye out for this season, Florentina Leitner. After winning the 2022 ‘Emerging Talent of The Year’ grant at the Belgian Fashion Awards, Leitner is sure to have had more pep in her step leading up to this show.
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER / MARCH 4 / 8PM
No Paris season is complete without a splashy new creative director debut. Ludovic de Saint Sernin has been handed the hand-dyed reins at Ann Demeulemeester and the brand’s devotees as well as Saint Sernin’s cult, leather-and-crystal-mesh-slicked following will be front-row to see this first conjugal outing.
OTTOLINGER / MARCH 5 / 1 PM
The following day, most eyes will be flitting to Balenciaga (March 5 - 1 PM) to see how the house moves post-global scandal. But don’t forget to check out Ottolinger, the buzzy brand of Berlincore garments poised for a major breakthrough. I’m also curious to see if Bruno Sialelli’s Lanvin (10 AM) will make a few headlines this season, as his tenure has been well-received since 2019 but has yet to dominate culturally in any way reminiscent of Alber Elbaz’s.
AZ FACTORY / MARCH 6 / 10:30 AM
Speaking of the late legend, Elbaz’s brainchild AZ Factory was deprived of the original founder’s time to fully flesh out the brand for posterity. That hasn’t stopped AZ Factory from turning out interesting collaborations as they make their own way. Colville duo Linda Chambers and Molly Molloy are up next. Later on the same day, Louis Vuitton will be showing and after the Pharrell bomb-drop, the brand is sure to enjoy some added focus as Nicolas Ghesquière unveils his first ten-year anniversary show for the brand.
STEFAN KARTCHEV X COLOMBE D’HUMIÈRES / MARCH 6 / 5 PM
Antwerp alum Stefan Kartchev will be launching a new capsule collection at PFW, meshing his signature fascination for sportswear with prints that enhance their immersive capacity. The new collection is presented in collaboration with Parisian metal-focused jewellery designer Colombe D’Humières with a set design by architect Alessandro Cugola. Pieces will be available for purchase in-showroom.
MIU MIU / MARCH 7 / 2 PM
Gen Z cranes its collective neck to see how quickly they can churn out Miu Miu dupes for the FYP.
Y/PROJECT / MARCH 7 / 3:30 PM
Not since Midas gagged the girls of Phrygia, has there been a comparable golden touch to Glenn Martens’. Diesel set the tone in Milan with the most sexy and covetable creations a few days ago. “Y/Project is a dream, Diesel a reality”, Glenn Martens was quoted this week. Put me to sleep, I’m ready!
XULY BËT / MARCH 7 / 6 PM
It seems fitting that XULY.Bët closes out this edition of PFW, as designer Lamine Badian Kouyaté has been carrying the industry on his back for a minute now. A true style visionary and OG beacon of sustainable design, Kouyaté deserves his flowers and your attention as he fires the closing salvo.
As a final preparatory act for PFW, be sure to pre-order Antwerp graduate Flora Miranda’s new art book ‘I AM DIGITAL’, which is launching during Paris Fashion Week.
You’re all good to go. Don’t hesitate to kiki in the comments about who or what catches your eye this season! For the full calendar lineup, head here.
Header image: (c) Richard Bord for XULY.Bët SS23
