By Yousra Bachine
Paris Fashion Week came to an end on October 6th. The eyes of the world were captivated by the elegant, impressive and original collections designed by creators all over the world. The most important houses of Fashion were present to showcase their new collections to the public.
Did you know that one of the main parts of the preparation for the fashion shows are focused on the setting? Yes, you read that right! The sceneries of the shows are as important as the clothes that are presented. The creators emphasise the decoration of the runways, because it gives the first impression and sets the tone of the show. It is also a way for the designer to convey their message with regards to the collection.
The most recent Paris Fashion Week (which took place from the 24th September – 6th October 2022) that was held in France, was the main place to witness the impressive and original settings created by the designers. If you missed them, no worries! I’ll tell you everything about the most viral settings of the Paris Fashion Week.
Dior’s collection called “Nymphées” (Nymphaeum), was immersive in baroque architecture – thanks to the creation of sculptural caves. Eva Jospin, the artist behind the setting who has already collaborated with Dior previously, was inspired by the Buttes-Chaumont cave, the Villa Borromeo Visconti Litta and the Frescoes in Palazzina Cinese in Palermo. Created in cardboard and imbued with romanticism, we are surely fascinated by this wonderful setting.
The talk of the town and the surprise of Paris Fashion Week was the Balenciaga show. Balenciaga is known for creating original collections and this show was no exception. Demna, Balenciaga’s artistic director, knows how to create surprises with his shows, and the main character was the mud! Mud was placed all over the catwalk. This setting evoked a powerful political message as the scenography refers to the chaos in which Ukraine has been plunged in since the Russian invasion of the Ukrainian territory in February 2022.
Chanel paid tribute to the 60’s cinema. The setting was inspired by the charm and the characteristics of the cinema that was created in the sixties. This cinematic black and white setting makes the public feel like they are part of a 60’s movie. The spectators discovered the timeless and elegance of this time period, while witnessing the creations on the runway.
Hermès opted for a setting that was natural and inspired by the environment. In the centre of the scenography we saw a dune. The dune is coloured according to the different times of the day. The plurality of colours and their different tones, immersed the public in the journey of the days of life as they saw the different creations in front of them.
Another representation of the time and of the rhythm of life is the setting created by Courreges. The fashion house recreates a beach party to present the spring-summer collection to its guests. The circular set is also an allegory for the passage of time, as the sand spills out in the middle of the runway like an hourglass running out. This symbol of the hourglass was minimal and loved by the audience.
A spectacular and original scenography was put in place by Louis Vuitton, to present its spring-summer 2023 collection. Nicolas Ghesquière called on the artist Philippe Parreno and the chief decorator James Chinlund, to imagine an extraordinary setting in the heart of the Cour Carrée of the Louvre. The setting had the look of a scarlet funfair, decorated with golden flowers in the centre of the famous French museum. The circular podium was illuminated by a set of flashing lights, highlighting the silhouettes of the models as well as the creations of Louis Vuitton’s summer collection.
The Loewe’s spring-summer 2023 fashion show was marked by vivacious colours. It included a huge replica of a flower and many 3D designs. In the middle of the show, the Spanish fashion house placed a giant and impressive 3D anthurium, through which the models appeared dressed in the collection designed by artistic director Jonathan Anderson.
The last setting I want to present to you is the one created by Isey Miyake, the Japanese fashion house. Satoshi Kondo, who dedicated the show as a tribute to the Japanese designer, Isey Miyake, who died in August 2022, turned the show into a real dance performance. The spacious setting, the piano on stage (which was played by Koki Nakano), and the synergy between models and dancers, gave the perfect choreography. The choreography was full of emotion due to it’s purpose.
To cut a long story short, we can say that the latest Paris Fashion Week was marked by impressive, original and powerful scenography’s. One’s we definitely cannot forget. The combined efforts and creativity of fashion designers, choreographers, musicians, dancers, models and decorators, make the shows even greater and always unexpected for the audience. The use of new technology and the political messages behind some of the designers shows, are proof of the power a fashion house can hold.
The Paris Fashion Week is not an event dedicated to showcasing collections only but more the place where different arts can come all together to impress and immerse the spectators into a world that is purposely created for meaning. That’s why settings and scenography’s have an important place in fashion shows and take time to be created. The settings and clothes are designed whilst co-existing together, to convey the emotions and the message that the fashion houses want to transmit to the public.
