As couture continues to be a cornerstone in the fashion conversation, the fall 2024 season displayed its power on another level, as Paris is gearing up to be the center of the world, again, with the upcoming Olympic Games.
Across the catwalks, designers referenced the global sporting events, as seen from Dior, Schiaparelli and, most notably, Thom Browne. New takes on quiet luxury evolved into starker minimalism and elevated daytime while heritage couture trends of high shine, statement embellishments and wedding white were takeaways from the most exclusive of fashion weeks.
Here, WWD breaks down the seven biggest trends from the Paris Couture Week fall 2024 collections.
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Get Your Shine On
From Olympic medal-hued metallics to red carpet-worthy sparking embellishments, the fall 2024 couture collections sent a strong message of glamorous shine on the Parisian runways.
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One of the best examples was Giorgio Armani’s Armani Prive Couture collection, which WWD’s Miles Socha described as dedicated to “pearly colors, pearl-like textures and pearl-shaped embellishments.” The collection continued to ooze sparkle across evening pantsuits and sleek red-carpet gowns in shimmering gold, pearly whites, black and tawny shades.
Elsewhere, couture looks shined bright on the Parisian catwalks in gold at Balenciaga, Chanel, Julie de Libran, Viktor & Rolf, Iris van Herpen and Thom Browne; in silver, from Juana Martin, Tamara Ralph (as in mirrored disco ball frocks), and Alexis Mabille, or in bedazzled, jewel tones, as seen from Elie Saab.
Winner’s Circle
With the Paris-based opening ceremony only a few weeks away, the Olympics have been top of everyone’s mind. Especially for American designer Thom Browne, who “returned to the building blocks of couture [utilizing beige muslin throughout] — and referenced the starting blocks of the upcoming Paris Olympics with myriad sport references,” Socha wrote of the designer’s fall 2024 couture show.
His sophomore high-fashion, coed collection referenced ancient Greek discus throwers from “dazzling finale blazers in bronze, silver and gold, to modern-day running cleats tacked to the bottom of radical heels with voided-out platform soles,” Socha wrote of the Olympic medal-hued show-closing looks.
Maria Grazia Chiuri also appeared to be warming up for the games with a slew of athletic-inspired looks inspired by “the way young female athletes are reclaiming their bodies,” Chiuri told WWD’s Joelle Diderich of her draped goddess dresses — some in metallic hues with others in white, styled over tanks — and sportif bodysuits with gladiator sandals. One bodysuit in particular was embroidered with gold feathers as the embodiment of “Winged Victory.” The victorious theme continued with a pair of gilded wings atop a black cape at Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli couture show.
Minimalism Evolves
One of the biggest takeaways from the recent Paris men’s collections, according to buyers, was the evolution of the quiet luxury trend into a “relaxed nonchalance” and “undone elegance.” This conversation continued on the Parisian couture runways as an evolution of minimalism with simplified shapes and pared back details on some runways.
Leading the trend was the Jean Paul Gaultier by Nicolas Di Felice collection, which featured “an abstract, minimalist take on Gaultier’s famous exploration of corsets and lingerie dressing,” Socha wrote. Di Felice’s monochrome looks spanned from tight pants to twisted, body-hugging dresses all held together with hook-and-eye closures.
Boudoir Beat Goes On
As seen in Di Felice’s exploration of corsets and lingerie dress, boudoir was a strong theme throughout the couture season where the ongoing popularity of sheer and lace layers, cutouts, bra tops and corsetry made for compelling, high luxury takes on the trend.
Both on and off the catwalk at Schiaparelli, sexuality simmered, as seen in the collection’s sultry corset gowns as well as Kylie Jenner’s ultra-tight blush pink corset dress and crinoline veil. It was a look that, “set the tone for the sultry collection,” Diderich wrote.
Dressed Up Looks of Leisure
More dressed up daytime wardrobe offerings have been a key part of global ready-to-wear collections in the past two seasons and made for a strong message across the fall 2024 couture collections.
The Chanel studio team’s collection was, “rooted in classic Chanel codes, with streamlined tailoring, lavish embellishment and a preponderance of black,” Diderich wrote. Here, tweedy power sets prevailed while at Tamara Ralph referenced,” an idealized vision of Paris,” said WWD’s Alex Wynne, with feminine tailoring, as seen through the opening houndstooth pencil dress with pillbox hat and veil.
Also returning to the idea of formal daywear was Giorgio Armani, who elevated classic leisure looks such as sleek trousers and jackets, with fanciful details and luxe fabrications.
At Balenciaga, Demna elevated casualwear pieces with a couture hand, pushing, “the experimental envelope with jumbo jeans, cocoon-shaped T-shirts, stiffened and sculptural leather blousons, and pumps so pointy you could pierce a wiener with them and roast it on an open flame,” Socha wrote of the collection, which even featured a couture sports jersey.
Special Effects
Out-of-this-world textures were a delight of the fall 2024 couture season, with exaggerated fringes, feathers and 3D developments adding drama to the runways.
For instance, at Schiaparelli, “Roseberry alternated between sculptural sheaths made of layers of hand-cut ribbons that fell open at the hips, and explosions of stiff tulle,” Socha said.
“I wanted it to feel old and masterful, but then young and kind of twisted at the same time,” Roseberry told WWD.
Elsewhere, designer Imane Ayissi adorned jewel-toned dresses with long fringes of raffia or “Africa’s sequins,” he told WWD. “A dream of galloping on a horse turned into a flurry of horse-hair fluttering as the model walked,” WWD’s Lily Templeton wrote of Ashi Studio’s animalistic “furry” black gown.
The New Bride
Historically, white bridal gowns were typically the last exit of many shows. Today, as more brides look to the runways for their wedding weekend ensembles, the number of wedding dresses as part of the collections has grown, as seen via the many elegant white ensembles within Dior’s fall couture collection. Furthermore, designers are offering more directional takes on traditional wedding whites, with styles spanning from glamorous and fantastical to simplistic for every type of bride.
Among the highlights were Chanel’s sweeping ivory gown with floral embroidered bodice finela look,” which brought to mind Princess Diana’s wedding gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel,” Diderich said.
In addition there Stéphane Rolland’s voluminous white hooded dress with porcelain and white organza petal embroideries — perfect for the more-is-more bride; Charles de Vilmorin’s gothic wedding duo, or Alexis Mabille’s reception party-ready shimmering, veiled catsuit.