Paris Fashion Week has seen some interesting collections this season. Some as usual were masterpieces in design and craftsmanship while others left us confused.
Sarah Burton debuted her first collection for Givenchy and it was pure delight. Injecting the House's DNA while simultaneously ensuring that it was fresh, exciting and considered made for a great debut. Digging into the archives, Sarah honoured and acknowledged what defined the brand and making it relevant in 2025. Reinterpreting archive pieces like the bow and making them a huge focal point as well as the backwards dress which are all signatures of the early years of the brand has made Sarah an exciting designer to watch.
Balenciaga offered us a collection that left many of us baffled. Riddled with controversy over the last few years the brand has in my personal opinion failed to capture its former magic. The collection was filled with designs that looked uninspired and bland. According to reports Demna's goal was to design wearable pieces. I do understand the desire to make things accessible but with this average offering will the prices reflect its intent? The brand is still considered luxury and as such will continue to charge consumers the same prices for a basic looking collection. Is Balenciaga worth its hype? I have often felt that Demna is conducting a social experiment to ascertain how far he can push the boundaries of bad fashion before we become aware that we are merely slaves to a name brand. With quite a few shake ups happening within the industry with creative directors being shuffled around like musical chairs, could Demna be next?
Another collection I felt disconnected with is Alessandro Michele for Valentino. Loved the structure and silhouettes of the pieces but once again felt it was a mishmash of things thrown together. It still continues to feel very Gucci like and we love what he did during his tenure. We understand and champion a desire for new creative directors to inject their own DNA into a brand and find its synergy. Unfortunately Valentino has defined itself as a refined, elegant and beautifully crafted feminine aesthetic. And as such it is hard for us to completely appreciate his brand direction. Nonetheless I do believe we need to give designers more time to find their feet before letting them go. Hence the exit of Sabato De Sarno from Gucci was quite sad and premature. I do believe had he been given more time we would've seen a more defined brand identity.
