By Giulia Piceni.
The highly anticipated Paris Fashion Week is fast approaching, and what better way to kill the wait than by discussing upcoming shows and sharing expectations with your fashion-savvy friends? In this article, we will be talking about Charles de Vilmorin, as well as Quira, Niccolò Pasqualetti, and Sean McGirr, who will be featured in the next PFW for the F/W 2024-25 season.
Just to give a few numbers out: 109 designers, 71 shows and 38 presentations; the events are way too many to discuss all of them and it seemed impossible to uncover everything on the PFW calendar. Have a look at it yourself and get ready for an intense “spill the tea” fashion session.
THE FALL FROM GRACE OF CHARLES DE VILMORIN AND THE RISE OF ALESSANDRO VIGILANTE AT PARIS FASHION WEEK
The opening show of the Paris Fashion Week, which took place on February 26 and was organised by the IFM’s Master of Arts, is a testament to Paris’ deep commitment to recognising and elevating young talent. The city has a history of showcasing emerging artists in the fashion industry, such as Olivier Rousteing and Charles de Vilmorin.
The 21st century enfant prodige, de Vilmorin, is without any doubt a fall from grace. He became the protegé of the French fashion oligarchy during the pandemic, a time when he founded his eponymous brand at the age of 23 and quickly gained the attention of key players in the industry.
While creating a brand at such a young age is admirable, it is important to note that de Vilmorin comes from a very solid backing. His grandmother, Louise, was a highly successful novelist and journalist whose surname may have opened doors that would have otherwise remained to other talented individuals.
And the biggest one of those was certainly the appointment to the haute couture brand Rochas. Unfortunately, the love story only lasted four seasons and has left very little to talk about. The brand is now under the leadership of Alessandro Vigilante, a talented Italian designer known for his exceptional expertise in craftsmanship. The expectations for the upcoming show on February 28 are high, with many eagerly anticipating what Vigilante has in store.
On the other hand, Vilmorin is now entering the world of ready-to-wear with his eponymous brand, which was previously a finalist for the prestigious ANDAM and LVMH Prize. This marks a significant shift for the young French designer, who will ironically present his work alongside other emerging names in the fashion game at the Sphere Showroom at Palais de Tokyo during the Paris Fashion Week. Once a creative director in haute couture and now transitioning back to being an emerging designer, Charles de Vilmorin is seeking a more stable path to develop his talent and continue to captivate the French press. Hopefully, he has finally found that path with his own brand.
AT PARIS FASHION WEEK BRING BACK THE ITALIAN (FASHION) MONALISAS
If you were to ask an Italian about France, the first thing you would likely hear is that they stole the Mona Lisa from their country. After recognising that the rightful place of da Vinci’s masterpiece is within the Louvre, it is crucial to acknowledge that, under favourable circumstances, the French fashion scene has “stolen” two significant Italian names, which has helped shape the new avant-garde.
Coming from a weak system that doesn’t provide enough support for creative minds to flourish, Niccolò Pasqualetti and Quira (a finalist in the LVMH 2023 competition) have been developing their talents for many years in the French fashion capital. This year, they will both be presenting their work on February 26 and on March 2, respectively. More days mean more visibility, which are both aspects that MFW is lacking.
It should be a cause for concern to those in positions in the fashion industry that emerging designers decided to showcase their work outside of Italy. Bringing back this rare creative energy is crucial for revitalising the Italian fashion system.
BRIT SKULLS ALL OVER THE PLACE AT PARIS FASHION WEEK WITH SEÁN MCGIRR FOR ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Seán McGirr, a CSM graduate and menswear/womenswear designer for JW Anderson and Dries Van Noten, recently showcased a preview of his new creative direction at Alexander McQueen. The advertisement quickly went viral on social media, as his debut (dated March 2) was one of the most highly anticipated events of the past few years.
The video showcases the original version of the logo designed by Lee himself, and features two key models for the brand. The first one is Frankie Rayder, who followed the British creative in both his eponymous brand and during his tenure at Givenchy. The other one is Debra Shaw, who made history by appearing in two iconic shows by McQueen. The first one was the FW 1996 or the “Dante” show, in which she walked down the runway wearing a black mask with a crucifix on it, which has become one of the most desirable and collectable items of the last decades, the same one that Kanye West was recently spotted wearing.
The other show is from FW 1997, and it’s called “It’s a Jungle Out There”. This show has stood the test of time for featuring a spectacularity that was then competing with the narrative style of John Galliano but in a more dreadful way. During the show, the models on the runway were transformed into a set of creepy creatures that were half-human and half-animal. However, an accident occurred when a car that was part of the setting caught fire. Despite the potential danger, McQueen gave the order to let it burn as the dystopian feature of the show was emerging even more through that imagery. Interestingly, everybody thought it was planned, even if the car could have potentially exploded from one moment to another.
Just like McQueen – who was born in England but always had a strong connection with its Scottish roots – McGirr is Irish, and his upcoming creations may showcase a certain level of pride coming from his country’s history of fighting for independence. McQueen himself had manifested his patriotic pride during the timeless “Highland rape” show for FW 1995.
McQueen’s latest video campaign showcases McGirr’s vibe by featuring the two models in a Celtic forest, wearing two chrome skull masks. Is it perhaps a return to McQueen’s most iconic symbol, which was also an emblem of the indie sleaze-era scarves? The overall impression is that McGirr’s work differs from the polished sartorial quality à la Savile Row by Sarah Burton, and instead delves into the unsettling past of Lee’s creative ethos with several historical references in a teaser lasting just a few seconds.
