By Hollywood celebrities defied the rain to attend L’Oreal’s massive outdoor show on Monday to kick off Paris Fashion Week, while whispers of musical chairs at the top of legendary French firms circulate.
The cosmetics company convinced Eva Longoria, Kendall Jenner, Jane Fonda, and several other brand ambassadors to walk in a grand public presentation in front of the opulent Opera Garnier, all while sporting stylish silver sneakers. L’Oreal stated that it aimed to democratize the splendor of fashion week, with invitations to the major luxury shows only going to the glitterati and fashion insiders.
The “Walk Your Worth” program, which was hosted by singer Celine Dion, had models with prosthetic limbs, Andie MacDowell, Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Brazilian supermodel Luma Grothe, who was not afraid to flaunt her pregnancy.
Delphine Viguier, director general of L’Oreal in Paris, told AFP that the goal is to “let the public see for themselves the beautiful clothes, settings, and people that they would never normally have access to.”
The nine-day extravaganza began with a stormy start for fashion’s young guard. Rising French star Victor Weinsanto staged his spring-summer show on the windy and wet roof of the Pompidou Centre museum, testing the weather with his fishnet and mesh ensembles based around Croatian drag queen Le Filip.
Falling revenues at the two luxury behemoths, LVMH and Kering, sent a tremor through the business and sparked talk of a “Game of Thrones” among high-end designers, which is how the Paris exhibitions got started.
Hedi Slimane of Celine with the rising French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus
As the spring-summer shows approach, rumors about John Galliano’s future are also expected to circulate because his contract at Maison Margiela is about to expire.
Dior and Saint Laurent will present their first shows on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the major French houses’ runaway supremacy over competitors Milan, New York, and London. The schedule is jam-packed.
And the finale is not to be missed: after a four-year hiatus, Chanel opens the last day on October 1 by moving back to the expansive Grand Palais, the location of some of Lagerfeld’s most breathtaking displays.
To host fencing and taekwondo at the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games, the house reopened the historic Belle Epoque edifice following a substantial renovation, and it is now spending thirty million euros ($33 million) to produce its shows there.
With the departure of Viard, Lagerfeld’s longtime right-hand lady, analysts anticipate a collection based on vintage Chanel pieces.
On the other hand, Alessandro Michele, the unpredictable Italian designer who revolutionized Gucci, would be eager to leave his mark with his first Valentino presentation.
French duet Coperni is also much awaited; on the last night, they will perform at Disneyland Paris, and there will be an after-party at the theme park that is expected to last until the early hours of the morning.
Arnaud Vaillant and Sebastien Meyer, the brand’s owners, are obviously in the mood to celebrate after pulling off a coup with their costume for Belgian singer Angele during the Olympics closing ceremony.
Thanks to financial support from the proprietors of Chanel and L’Oreal, the Olsen twins—a glamorous pair of former child actors from Los Angeles who are now designers—have managed to get a spot for their luxury line The Row during fashion week.
This season, Givenchy won’t be present in Paris, since Sarah Burton, a British designer who has been a mainstay at Alexander McQueen for 25 years, has been appointed creative director.
