Notes on Paris Fashion Week — Men’s A/W’24

Fashion, Features/Op-Ed

Paris met us with rain and a general sense of misery, with Parisians grousing about the upcoming summer Olympics. The cold weather did put a damper on things for the first few days, or maybe it’s just me developing a lack of tolerance for bouncing around Paris like a ping-pong ball. I love fashion shows, but they seem to be less fun with each season. The sense of community is often gone, with too many celebs, influencers, hangers-on, and stans making everything feel like a circus amped to the highest degree.

Rick Owens Spring Summer 2024

Notes on Paris Women’s Fashion Week Spring / Summer 2024

Fashion, Features/Op-Ed

This fashion season has been one of going through way too much effort in terms of just being at the shows. Invitations went missing or showed up at the last minute or even after a show. Editors and buyers are increasingly being relegated to second row in favor of celebrities and influencers, of whom there is an ever-increasing number. Some said that this could be because of the Hollywood strike, but I think we are seeing a permanent shift, in which the only metric that matters is your Instagram following. It looks like many brands just want amplifiers of their image, and don’t care for, or are actually afraid of engaging in a conversation about their output. If it’s the latter, they are not wrong, considering what a parade of mediocrity the fashion month has become. But not in Paris, at least not yet. This season virtually all of the brands that I hold in high regard delivered – it was an uplifting fashion week and a wonderful reminder that fashion can still evoke emotion, create beauty, and make one think. And if it’s the PR agencies that spoil everything with their lack of professionalism, then, well, even though I still absolutely love being at a good show, in 2023 I can do this from the comfort of my home.