13 top trends from Paris Fashion Week AW18

French dressing has had a reality check. Emma McCarthy and Hannah Rochell round up the catwalk’s most wearable trends
Balenciaga

1. The One Where ...

There were plenty of strong pieces in Balenciaga’s AW18 collection — see floral dresses, tailored skirts and checked wool jackets.

And all anyone could think about was that episode of Friends when Joey puts on all of Chandler’s clothes.

Proof that the whole fashion crowd has been binge watching on Netflix.

2. Miniskirts forever

Dior AW18 collection (Dior )
Dior

When a group of female protesters marched on Dior’s boutique in 1966, holding aloft placards emblazoned with the maxim “miniskirts forever”, the house’s then artistic director Marc Bohan responded by launching the first Miss Dior ready-to-wear collection.

Fast-forward to 2018 and pussy power straight out of the Sixties formed the vision for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s new season offering. This meant patchwork denim, curly shearling coats and, of course, miniskirts galore.

3. A shaggy coat story

Dries Von Noten AW18 collection (Dries Von Noten )
Dries Von Noten

Given that the mercury plummeted to minus 8 for a good portion of Paris Fashion Week, it was not surprising that teddy bear-style coats were a regular sighting on the f’row. But shaggy coats were a big story on the catwalk too.

At Dries Van Noten, wild and hairy outerwear provided a tactile choice within a real life-friendly offering, from short chubbies trimmed with feather detailing to fabulously oversized styles capable of making you hope hibernation never has to end.

4. The new transparency

Balmain AW18 collection
Rex Features

Members of the Balmain army still clinging to their body-con mini dresses — Kimmie K, we’re looking at you — note that designer Olivier Rousteing has revealed a new uniform for next season.

Disclaimer: it’s still only reserved for the most body-confident dressers.

From sheer silk suits to entirely transparent trousers, the future for flesh-flashing a la AW18 is — quite literally — clear. Not to mention the fantastic-plastic pieces would prove surprisingly practical surrounding accidental champagne spillages.

5. Daytime dazzle

Paco Rabanne AW18 collection (Paco Rabanne )
Paco Rabanne

Chainmail tops, shimmering skirts and dresses designed for disco dancing are the lifeblood of every Paco Rabanne collection. But this season, its designer, Julien Dossena, took his trademark razzle-dazzle and plonked it directly into daywear.

Interwoven with the metallic paillettes and crystal flowers were such everyday essentials as grey marl fleece-lined hoodies, straight-cut stonewash jeans and the perfect classic trench coat. The milk run just got a whole lot more fabulous.

6. Mono-brights

Rochas AW18 collection (Rochas )
Rochas

Note to self: there’s no such thing as too matchy-matchy next season.

Witness Rochas and its designer Alessandro Dell’Acqua, who suggested top-to-toe mono-dressing as a thoroughly welcome proposition for autumn.

What’s more, if you’re ready and willing to give it a whirl, don’t pussy-foot around safe or neutral tones — this is a trend where it pays to be brave, with toothpaste-turquoise, berry red and non-mellow yellow proving to be the best looks of the bunch. Team with snakeskin boots for extra pizzazz.

7. Cloaking device

Valentino AW18 collection (Valentino )
Valentino

It’s fitting that on the same evening the Oscars were taking place in Los Angeles, over in Paris Pierpaolo Piccioli presented a masterclass in modern red carpet dressing at Valentino, showcasing full, floor-skimming gowns with long sleeves, high necklines and the feature top of every contemporary starlet’s wishlist: pockets.

Medieval-style cloaks with huge floppy hoods were the ideal outerwear to accompany the frocks; cloaks and capes are a big trend for next season, having also been spotted at many shows during Milan Fashion Week.

8. Carry on coating

Hermes AW18 collection (Hermes )
Hermes

All Londoners will have experienced the seasonal dilemma of what to do with your winter coat when you suddenly find yourself in the warmer surroundings of, say, an overcrowded bus, or a busy SouthEastern train with unbearably hot air being blasted in your face.

So all hail Hermès, which showed what at first appeared to be Navajo patterned woollen bags, but on closer inspection turned out to be shawls with a detachable leather strap. Genius.

9. The skirt-trouser suit

Lemaire AW18 collection (Lemaire )
Lemaire

When the idea of wearing a dress-over-trousers first emerged sometime last year, there were many who scoffed at the trend and its ridiculous portmanteau (aka the drouser). But those who dismissed it first time around may yet be convinced by Lemaire’s impossibly polished interpretation.

Sharp three-piece suits traded in the waistcoat in favour of a chic wrap skirt and came in shades of no-nonsense navy and anything-but-boring brown. The result was easy, timeless and therefore, far from flash-in-the-pan. Invest wisely now or live to regret it in six months’ time.

10. The little things

Giambattista Valli AW18 collection (Giambattista Valli )
Giambattista Valli

It was the smaller details that really stood out at Giambattista Valli; although the dresses on offer were plentiful in fabric, they were paired with the tiniest of accessories.

Retro patterned shrunken tanks were worn on top (not advisable for anyone above an A-cup, let’s be honest) and most looks were paired with a leather coin purse, not even big enough to store an iPhone, and worn around the neck like jewellery. Time to rely on your debit card.

11. Pleats please

Poiret AW18 collection (Poiret )
Poiret

If there’s one fabric finish you’ll be lusting after come autumn, it’s going to be of the pleated variety, because concertina dresses and skirts have been all over the catwalks in Paris this week.

On Sunday, designer Yiqing Yin presented her first collection for Paul Poiret, whose original namesake was widely credited with liberating women from their corsets with his loose dresses and kimono jackets. This silhouette was echoed in next season’s designs, the most enticing of which being a long pleated metallic skirt paired with a grungy, oversized jumper.

12. Haute hoods

Maison Margiela AW18 collection (Maison Margiela )
Maison Margiela

Protection has been a buzzword on the catwalk throughout this show season, from New York to London and Milan.

But in Paris, it was Maison Margiela’s avant garde designer John Galliano who tested safety to its limits. Among the XXL padded puffer jackets and floor-sweeping high-shine anoraks, hoods came out on top with clear plastic sou’wester rain hats to knitted snoods — and even the odd haute helmet — offering a high-fashion hideaway for even the most hardcore hermits.

13. Faux sure

Givenchy AW18 collection (Givenchy )
Givenchy

It’s official: fashion has fallen out of love with fur.

That is, in an animal- rights sense (Gucci and Michael Kors recently announced they would no longer be using fur), rather than aesthetically speaking.

At Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller presented her second ready-to-wear collection for the label, which had a strong Eighties vibe. Alongside pixie boots, party dresses and pencil skirts were a parade of fierce fur coats, which were very realistic indeed. Thankfully, the designer confirmed backstage that they were all faux. Phew.

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