Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer ’24 Highlights

Around the runway shows, the city was vibrant with fashionable people dressed to impress in their carefully curated outfits. We take a look back at some of the highlights from last week and the trends that we observed on the streets of Paris.

All eyes were on Louis Vuitton as Pharrell Williams debuted his first runway show since his appointment as Men’s Creative Director of the French luxury fashion house earlier this year. The show was a spectacle, attended by A-list celebrities and concluded with a live performance from Pharrell with Jay-Z.

The collection is a subtle tribute to Williams’ roots in streetwear, referenced with loose fits, tracksuits and varsity jackets. Louis Vuitton’s iconic Damier pattern was re-interpreted to resemble digital camo, dubbed “Damoflage”. The brightly colored Speedy bags are an homage to the counterfeits found on New York’s Canal Street.

Junya Watanabe is taking collaborations to a new level, previewing collabs with 18 different partners, including streetwear heavyweights Stüssy and Palace as well as workwear staples Carhartt WIP and Levi’s. But Watanabe is trying something fresh, taking the avant-garde design approach of his eponymous women’s wear line to Junya Watanabe MAN.

The trends emerging from Paris Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2024 indicate a transition from streetwear influences back to tailoring. With logomania well past its peak, we are seeing more people embracing the quiet luxury of simple and elegant short-sleeved shirts and leather dress shoes.

Wales Bonner is definitely having a moment in fashion right now, underscored by the British designer’s successful footwear collaborations with adidas – the silver Sambas were a popular choice among many of the fashion-conscious folk strutting through the streets of Paris.

For Spring/Summer 2024, Wales Bonner looks to the running track for inspiration with „Marathon“. The collection features elevated sportswear, including the next chapter of her partnership with adidas, alongside tailored suits and knitwear. The designs were modeled by professional athletes such as long-distance runners Tamirat Tola Abera, and Yomif Kejelcha Atomsa.

On Running similarly brought together the world of performance sports and fashion, presenting its collaboration with South Korean label POST FASHION ARCHIVE. Fortifying its appeal in fashion circles, the makeover of On’s ultra-comfortable Cloudmonster silhouette was supported by lightweight running apparel, showcasing PAF’s rebellious and technically advanced design approach.

Another trend that seems to be picking up pace is Jorts. Following the resurrection of the baggy jeans, more men and women are wearing wide-cut denim shorts this summer. The traditionally shunned blue-collar textile was seen on the runways of Givenchy and Gucci, offering a more elegant and mature look than the revealing hotpants of the past.