Author: Layla Smith

As Paris Fashion Week brings the curtain down on a whirlwind month of womenswear, the industry stands at a crossroads, teetering between creative reinvention and commercial pragmatism. This season has been a spectacle of contrasts: headline-grabbing debuts from Sarah Burton at Givenchy and Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford; sharp social critiques embedded in the collections of Comme des Garçons and Balenciaga; and an underlying sense of unease as the fashion world grapples with geopolitical tensions, economic shifts, and rapidly evolving consumer behavior. Just as the post-pandemic fashion economy seemed to be stabilizing, fresh disruptions have once again split the industry…

Chanel closed out Paris Women’s Fashion Week with a striking Fall-Winter collection that played with proportions and layering—without the influence of incoming artistic director Matthieu Blazy. Set in the iconic Grand Palais, the show featured a stunning, oversized black ribbon spiraling up to the glass ceiling, adding a sense of grandeur to the presentation. The collection itself was a masterclass in contrast and transformation. A black tweed jacket with jewel buttons effortlessly shifted into a long coat-dress, while an oversized poplin shirt cascaded to ankle length. A soft pink tailored short set was given an ethereal touch with a sheer…

The saying “the show must go on” originated in the 19th-century circus industry, but it could just as easily apply to fashion, where even the absence of what was once an integral part of any brand – its creative director – no longer seems to be a fatal disruption. At least in theory. Design teams are often tasked with bridging the gap between creative directors, ensuring continuity. And yet, at Milan Fashion Week, many presentations were overshadowed not by the collections themselves, but by the lingering uncertainty surrounding key figures and the future of their respective houses. Creative Shifts and…