Highlights of Paris Fashion Week SS23

ellaraemasingale
Oct 6, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Oct 18, 2022

Finally, the last week of the world's greatest demonstration of fashion ends in Paris. While studying abroad here, I am lucky to be able to partake in the scouting and spotting of celebrities. Not only that, but also being able to have witnessed some shows myself.

Here are some the highlights.

Bella Makes History at Coperni

Bella Hadid stole the show at Coperni, hosted by Paris's Musée des Arts et Métiers. Cameras flashed as she stepped out on the runway wearing nothing but nude underwear. Two men appeared and took their time spraying the model with white canisters of a type of fabric latex. Soon, her skin was covered by a thin white sheet as a woman emerged from the dark. With just scissors and her bare hands, the woman cleared off bits of sprayed fabric and cut clean lines to reveal a stunning dress. Bella stunted down the runway, flaunting the beautiful art piece plastered on her body.

Image Source:

https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/coperni-ss23, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/style/bella-hadid-coperni-paris-fashion-week.html

YE make his debut

In the outskirts of Paris, located at the Parc des Exposition de Villepinte, a new model made their debut. Balenciaga show's felt like a dark, dystopian urban nightmare-- with more mud than you would originally think. The runway itself was carved out like mud grave, filled with water as models tromped through the wasteland. In the seat of every chair was a note from Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga, saying: “this show is a metaphor for digging for truth and being down to earth,".

Source: https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/gallery/balenciaga-ss23#intcid=_vogue-uk-bottom-recirc_987e6d5c-3d5b-4145-a0eb-f38e297d7b63_similar2-3

To begin the whole show, an anonymous man in a baseball cap and an all black, military combat jacket stomps down the catwalk. It takes seconds for the audience to realize who it was-- no other than Kanye West himself. His debut as a model shocked the internet and audience members as Kanye and Demna used the platform to escape the bubble of fashion, sending a message about the Ukraine War while also pushing the boundaries of identity and uniformity.

A Surprise Appearance from a Legend

Pop legend and style icon, Cher, ended Balmain's show at Stade Jean-Bouin stadium in the 16th arrondissement. She looked stunning in the show's finale, wearing a silver spandex bodysuit and high, black platform boots. Her 1998 hit 'Strong Enough' played as she strutted hand in hand with Balmain designer, Olivier Rousteing. One hundred or so models paraded before her special star appearance, wearing all different looks ranging from woven, straw, bark, floral and angelic patterns. Yet style icon, Cher, was met with the most applause. She was cheered on by audience members as they watched her solo strut down the runway.