There was drama and also spectacle in the Paris fashion shows, which from Tuesday to Sunday showed men's fashion proposals for next fall, even with a calendar of in-person shows decimated due to the health crisis . On Thursday, Louis Vuitton celebrated a tribute to its creative director, Virgil Abloh, who died last November: this would have been the eighth collection by the American for the firm's men's line – he left it almost finished – and his team wanted to turn the parade into a party. In keeping with Abloh's multifaceted talent, it was such a multidisciplinary spectacle that it pushed the limits of attention span: beneath the enormous iron structure of the Carreau du Temple, the open space painted sky blue for the occasion, dancers could be seen on a huge bed; beyond, a red roof with a smoking chimney and simultaneously, seated around a large table, a multiracial classical music band played songs by Tyler the Creator under the orders of the Venezuelan Gustavo Dudamel, musical director of the Paris Opera.

Abloh was the man who brought black sensibility and commitment to the pinnacle of luxury, and who certified the importance of streetwear in this market. In his latest collection, references to basketball and baseball were added to a varied and, only in theory, antithetical menu. There was jewel-coloured tailoring with glamorous platform boots, deconstructed baggy suits and sequined jean ensembles. Also work jackets with floral print, military jackets with paintings by Courbet or De Chirico reproduced in tapestry fabric and, finally, in the place that the bride would have occupied in an old fashion show, pristine white outfits with spectacular lace wings. , as if the models were carrying kites on their backs. The show's theme was a culmination of those Abloh explored during his five years at Vuitton: dreams, the unprejudiced innocence of childhood, and the illusion of coming of age. "Everything I do is for the version of myself when I was 17," the designer once said, a quote that was reproduced in the show notes.

On Friday, Kim Jones dedicated her Dior collection to André Leon Talley, former editor of US Vogue who died this month at 73, and the first black man to achieve notoriety at fashion's most elite intersection and high society. Talley's taste for opulence would have been satisfied in Jones' clothing: a delicate adaptation of the codes of fantasy and hedonism that Christian Dior introduced into women's fashion 75 years ago, in the midst of the war, and that changed the course of the history. Models wore mink tailored suits with flirty berets, black jacket with beaded fur mittens, cashmere sweatpants and, as also seen at Vuitton, the colorful jewelery sparkled in unexpected places (shoe vamps, for example). ). Even comfortable Birkenstock sandals, the house's latest collaboration, which was also unveiled at the show, were luxurious. Although the tone was relaxed, the references to haute couture continued until the end, when Kim Jones came out to say hello accompanied by Stephen Jones, the admired English milliner who is collaborating with Dior for his 25th year this year.

The sparseness of the calendar left air for the proposals to shine: on Saturday, Hermès presented a sober but desirable clothing proposal with technical winks and splashes of color, and Loewe, a collection that intended to be “an alternative reality” and “ a new beginning". Sets with unusual volumes –T-shirts with arches like a tent–, garments with LED lights or shell-bags demonstrate the virtuosity of Jonathan Anderson, the designer of the house, for the exercises of creative freedom. Displays that, together with an undeniable talent for accessories and creative direction, have made the firm with Spanish roots a success.

what was everyone's weirdest panic purchase my brain glitched and i bought three types of jam

— Brandy Jensen Fri Mar 13 19:22:22 +0000 2020

The fact that the big brands have starred this season in Paris shows how well the luxury giants did in 2021: the sector achieved sales worth 283,000 million euros, according to The Financial Times, and the outlook is for growth . But the fashion ecosystem isn't just fueled by corporate patriarchs. Rick Owens broke with the friendly surrealism of other collections based on techno, smoke, darkness and clothing that were now metallic mesh tops or sweatshirts that covered the face like a fetish mask. Some models wore headdresses made with fluorescent tubes, like raver darth vaders who, ironically, forced them to have to lower their heads to enter the backstage, just as the ladies of the 18th century had to pass to the side due to the volume of their skirts. .

Courrèges, the French house with a futuristic heritage, also showed the latest collection of its new designer, Belgian Nicolas di Felice, in the house's bright headquarters overlooking the rooftops of Paris. Di Felice designs at the same time for men and women, and for both he has versions of the classic vinyl jackets, fitted ribbed T-shirts, flared trousers, shortened sweatshirts and geometric cut garments. Finally, a reliable, young and sexy review of this eternal sleeping beauty of the sixties. For Di Felice, fashion has a mission: “Many people expected me to continue doing what has already been done. But it is that they are not only forms. This brand speaks of passion, of love, of what clothing means. About the people you meet and what you build.”