Paris Fashion Week returns to pre-pandemic form

PARIS

Two years on from France’s first pandemic lockdown, Paris Fashion Week is almost back in full stride, with the vast majority of houses returning to live shows.

The women’s autumn-winter week has kicked off yesterday with all eyes on Off-White, presenting the final collection by its founder Virgil Abloh, who died from cancer in November at 41.     

Abloh, a former Kanye West collaborator, turned Off-White into one of fashion’s fastest-growing brands and was recruited to head menswear for Louis Vuitton before his career was tragically cut short.     

Of 95 houses on the official Paris calendar, only 13 have stayed fully online for this fashion week.     

The biggest names, including Dior, Chanel and Hermes, are among 45 brands holding live catwalk shows.    

Saint Laurent, which had dropped out of the official calendar during the pandemic, vowing to set its own schedule, has returned to the regular line-up.     

Others are doing a mix of online films and in-house presentations for buyers and press, a concept that was devised during the pandemic and has remained popular with several houses such as Japan’s Issey Miyake.