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Paris Fashion Week 2024, wrapped: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Stella McCartney highlights from the final stretch – plus a surprise ‘secret’ menswear show from Saint Laurent

The Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2024 show set, with its strong science fiction influences, was designed by the artist Philippe Parreno in collaboration with James Chinlund. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2024 show set, with its strong science fiction influences, was designed by the artist Philippe Parreno in collaboration with James Chinlund. Photo: EPA-EFE

  • The Chanel show featured a surprise short starring Brad Pitt and Chanel ambassador Penélope Cruz, a tribute to the film A Man and a Woman (1966) by French director Claude Lelouch
  • Kate Moss’ s daughter walked for Stella McCartney’s sustainable presentation, but the talk of the town was Saint Laurent’s ‘secret’ show that paid homage to 80s power suits and Yves Saint Laurent himself

The last two days of Paris Fashion Week were dominated by very talented – and very international – female-led brands.

London-based Stella McCartney and Tokyo-based Sacai showed on the same day and couldn’t be more different, but they both reflect the strength and variety of the Paris shows.

A model wearing a look from Stella McCartney’s autumn/winter 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Reuters
A model wearing a look from Stella McCartney’s autumn/winter 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Reuters
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McCartney delighted guests with an early show on a sunny Monday morning. The breezy and upbeat presentation, dedicated to Mother Earth, was also a more serious call to action. “It’s About F***ing Time”, a manifesto read by actresses Olivia Colman and Helen Mirren, introduced the collection. McCartney is a pioneer when it comes to sustainable practices and responsible luxury. The materials she used in the range, such as apple-based leather, stayed true to her mission.

British model Lila Grace Moss, daughter of Kate Moss, in a knitwear look by Stella McCartney from the label’s autumn/winter 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: AFP
British model Lila Grace Moss, daughter of Kate Moss, in a knitwear look by Stella McCartney from the label’s autumn/winter 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: AFP

She always designs with herself and other women in mind, and for winter 2024 she offered a line-up of her signatures, including exaggerated fuzzy coats, statement knitwear made with looped ropes in alpaca yarn, soft tailoring inspired by her Savile Row training, and flowy dresses with crystal embellishments.

Sacai’s Chitose Abe is another designer who caters to women and their daily lives. While novelty-hungry fashion insiders may feel that her collections have been a bit repetitive in recent seasons, her hybrid garments (Is it a peacoat or a down jacket? A pleated blouse or a jumper?) keep her loyal customers coming back for more.

A “hybrid look” from Sacai’s autumn/winter 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Sacai
A “hybrid look” from Sacai’s autumn/winter 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Sacai

Though she always sticks to her true-and-tested formula, she often plays with volumes and proportions to add an extra element of surprise to her pieces. This season, she approached clothing as armour, thinking of the “emotional protection that clothes can afford”, especially in these difficult times.

Here, in chronological order, are three highlights from the final day of Paris Fashion Week – plus a surprise show from Saint Laurent.

Chanel

Hats galore at the Chanel autumn/winter 2024 show, which was inspired by the seaside resort town of Deauville, at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: AFP
Hats galore at the Chanel autumn/winter 2024 show, which was inspired by the seaside resort town of Deauville, at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: AFP