Unforgettable moments from Paris Haute Couture Week 2024

The fashion frenzy in Paris rages on! Just as the autumn/winter 24 showcases came to a close, Paris Haute Couture Week kicked off in full swing. What ensued were dazzling, imaginative collections from fashion giants like Armani, Dior, and Schiaparelli! Chanel presented its best couture collection in years and Rahul Mishra said yes to drama and divinity with his ethereal pieces. Even celebrities brought their A-game when it came to front-row fashion, from Kylie Jenner to Katy Perry—we saw all the biggest names donning conversation-starting outfits. This year's collections were a blend of timeless elegance and avant-garde experimentation, setting the tone for the future of haute couture. And with that, fashion month came to an end, leaving us with a few weeks of rest before we head back to the runways in September! 

Let’s take a look at some of the hottest moments from this year's Paris Haute Couture Week.

Schiaparelli

Daniel Rosenberry’s Schiaparelli show was an ode to Elsa Schiaparelli’s singular gift for rebirth, rightfully titled “The Phoenix”—always rising from the ashes. With each look mirroring a unique emotion, the collection honoured the intimate relationship between designer and consumer—giving women the power to be reborn again, and again. Staged in the basement of the Hotel Saloman de Rothschild, in the dark, chandelier-lit room, the spirit of couture past was reincarnated. True to its title, there were wings, feathers, and lots of black (read: ash). The hints of metallic gold and bronze creeping out from underneath tulle skirts captivated in true Rosenberry fashion. 

Dior

It was all Greek for Maria Grazia Chiuri as she drew inspiration from the upcoming Summer Olympic Games. It’s not every day that you see someone recast sportswear through a couture lens. This week, she married Ancient Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, with the peplos, a traditional draped garment that Christian Dior himself cut in chiffon. However, Chiuri’s were constructed in silk jersey or metal jersey, and instead of anchoring them to a corset, she used embroidered tank tops and bodysuits that utterly changed the attitude of the ensemble. Though the garments remained formal, they appeared free. This freedom was perhaps enhanced by the models’ strappy skimmer sandals. In an ocean of ivory, a handful of blacks stood out. The toga-inspired looks made for ravishing evening gowns, with hints of gold, paired perfectly with high-laced flat sandals. 

Thom Browne

Thom Browne’s latest couture collection was a symphony of beige, off-white, and cream muslin. The designer’s second couture outing drew on motifs from the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. The show began with a visually arresting limbo of models in white blazers, sunglasses, and kilts, linked by a tug-of-war rope. Browne pushed the possibilities of couture with gilded headpieces and over-the-top assemblages of 3D flowers. The sporty theme established itself as a was a far cry from the athleisure we’ve seen so much of this year. Even the footwear was a fusion of avant-garde and athletic, with a gilded, almost deconstructed take on the classic sport cleat. The Games’ ancient Greek origins inspired laurel motifs, while some looks nodded to the coveted medals with bronze, silver, and gold colour palettes.

Chanel

A pair of opera glasses was aptly part of the show Chanel invite—the show was staged at the Opera Palais Garnier. Though this is Chanel’s first-ever show at the opera, the brand has long been a patron of the art. This also marks the first show after Virginie Viard’s sudden exit from the brand earlier this month, so the anticipation to see the design studio’s work was off the charts, and our expectations were pleasantly exceeded. It was the best Chanel couture collection in years. Amidst the sea of boucle suits and black gowns, there was glitz and glam, and black oversized hair bows. The colour palette was darker this season, with lots of black, gold, silver, and rich jewel tones. While embellishments stole the show, the highlight was certainly the Chanel bride—in virginal off-white, with puffed sleeves, a shimmering bodice, and a billowing skirt, all tied together with a matching hair bow! 

Rahul Mishra

The Indian designer channelled spiritual inspiration, both literally and figuratively, into this collection. From ideas to execution, he doesn’t do simple and is all for complexity. This time the question he asked himself was, 'How can one translate the concept of aura into a dress?', clearly relinquishing a good challenge. Hinduism and the Lord Brahma played a key role—and translating these complex themes into wearable art considerably put Mishra’s artisans to the test. The silhouettes of the ensembles were outlined with illusionist materials and at times even protruding structures—giving the visual of a literal aura. The palette hosted shades of white and many hues of grey, yet the collection was predominantly black, perhaps alluding “to the mystery of the unknown”. Ruched materials, sparkling embellishments, and hyper-embroidered panels added a refreshing touch of simplicity to the complex garments. 

Giorgio Armani Privè

The timelessness of pearls was a core theme in Armani’s latest work. The 89-year-old designer played with classic embellishments in his latest couture showing.  The label took supersized pearls and placed them on hats, covered long maxi gowns in tiny versions of them, and trimmed sheer suit jackets and gauze maxi dresses in scintillating mountains of mini pearlescent beads. The free-flowing fabric textures proved that no one quite does fabric like Armani Privè. The clinking of the embellishments as models sauntered down the runway created just the right mood. The collection and the narrative surrounding it were built on the serene and intimate quality of the pearl. The colour palette hinged on neutral classics, highlighting black, gold, and taupes, while putting the focus on ornamentation.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Nicolas di Felice’s Jean Paul Gaultier collection did not disappoint—he presented a completely different side to JPG as compared to other recent guest designers. The collection told the story of a new Parisian, one who wears covered-up clothes: jackets and dresses with long sleeves, long skirts, and necklines that literally climb up the face. As the show progressed, slowly the head emerged, followed by the shoulders, and then, at the end, dresses were peeling off the hips and hands were tucked into the gaps in the fabric (an erotic gesture similar to the one that caused such a stir at Di Felice’s last Courrèges show in Paris). The clothes also travelled the colour spectrum from dark to light. Corset hooks were aplenty, used as the connective tissue for the shapes draped and twisted into the narrow, body-clinging garments we call couture!

Feature image credit: @rahulmishra_7/Instagram

Also read: The hottest moments from Paris Fashion Week Menswear Spring/Summer '25

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