Paris Fashion week: an insight into the latest trends

The madness of Paris Fashion Week has passed. March saw the designers’ ready-to-wear collections on the runway; a contrast to the Haute Couture that happens in September.

Of course there was lots of black on black, but colours that kept popping up in many of the collections included a soft, rich blue, a pale green, and brown and black tweed. Pops of fluoro, lemon yellow made appearances in collections from Taiwanese designer Shiatzy Chen to Miu Miu. Lustrous metallics were subtly woven into fabrics everywhere, including the beautiful pale blue metallic coloured shoes that Shiatzy Chen sent down the runway.

Being in Paris during fashion week, there are many sartorial lessons to learn, including how to pull a look together. Here are a few of my top observations from Paris Fashion Week 2015.

Fabulous shoes (and coats) are all you need

Fashion trends abound on the streets. One of the best things about Paris Fashion Week is actually seeing what people are wearing off the runway.

I learnt that shoes are everything. It’s a mistake to think about an outfit and neglect to pay respect to the shoes. I saw a dishevelled fashionista get out of the requisite black Mercedes in a pair of ripped jeans and a white (designer) t-shirt, but some fabulous black and gold shoes strapped to her feet completed her Paris Fashion Week look.

Sky-high stilettoed Louboutins and chunky statement sandals were also popular. I also saw fluoro yellow shoes paired with a simple full black dress and white shirt. That’s why pants that are tapered or rolled up at the ankle are so popular – it’s all about showing off the shoes.

And a look I’m going to perfect this winter: throwing a slightly oversized, slightly unstructured coat over whatever all-neutral outfit I can grab out of the wardrobe.

Skirts have volume

All those four-year-old girls you know who insist on wearing their tutus everywhere are on the money. There were voluminous skirts on the street and on the runway, in everything from tweed to Shiatzy Chen’s florals and Spanish designer Alfredo Villalba’s bright ribbons of colour in his Floral Geometry collection, which is a nice contrast to all the black (albeit fantastic) collections we’re seeing. Which brings me to the next point…

Black is never boring

Veronique Branquino made me realise that black is never boring. Her collection showcased everything from sheer, striped blouses with pussycat bows to full black skirts with gold edging and long black coats over leather pants. Shiatzy Chen softened harsh blacks with pretty pink accents of faux fur and florals.

I learnt that wearing black successfully is all about layering and mixing textures, as Paris based Korean designer Moon Young Hee’s overwhelmingly black collection showed.

Don’t try too hard

Some of the best street style comes from the models as they are running to and from the shows. Models have mastered the art of not trying too hard to pull a look together. The trick seems to be to go light on the accessories so you don’t look like an overdone Christmas tree. As Coco Chanel rightly advised, “before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory”.

The models I saw kept it simple, and typically knew how to rock a scarf or hat, turning a look from potentially lazy to fabulous without the try-hard stigma. Come to think of it, I think their supreme confidence is what makes their ensembles look effortless.

Paris fashion week with a twist of tweed

I’m not a big fan of tweed, but pairing it with bright blue buttons, as Acne did at the Pompidou, gives a welcome lift to what would otherwise be like your grandmother’s old coat.

At the fabulous Grand Palais, a positively regal venue that hosts many a show, Moncler sent models in beautifully tailored tweed jackets and A-line skirts down a runway of leaves and gravel paths. The best tweed looks were, of course, broken up, this time with matte gold and black faux fur.

Veronique Branquino saved tweeds from boredom with full skirts slung low on the waist, pairing large and small patterns, incorporating black to make it look more edgy.

But the most valuable thing I learnt from the most stylish people around me, was that whatever you wear, make it superbly cut with good quality fabric.

Did you get a chance to check out any of the shows at Paris Fashion Week? Which of these lessons is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.