Words by Anano Shalamberidze

Just a three hour train ride away from Amsterdam lies a world of freezing cold winter temperatures, incredible pastries, rude waiters, and the most important thing of them all: FASHION, baby! A mecca of style and attitude, otherwise known as Paris, or where Anne Hathaway tells off Meryl Streep in the 2006 cinematic masterpiece Devil Wears Prada, was where you could find me merely a week ago attending some of the hottest (and coldest…) shows of the FW23 season. 	

Friday, March 3
DIDU

Sheer garments and lace-up boots against an orchestral sound design of the show felt both delicate and loud. DIDU girl wears white frilly dresses and goes raving in them. I met DIDU herself at a Mugler party (fabulous, I know) a few days later. With a drink in hand, dressed impeccably and willing to have a full conversation with a stranger in a room full of superstars, I felt like she embodied her brand perfectly – ethereal and down-to-earth simultaneously. 

ALESSANDRA RICH
Gorgeous girls at Alessandra Rich! Lace stockings, bows and mini skirts took over the elegant show venue where I saw the chicest girls of Instagram sitting front row and chatting about their latest glamorous endevours. The finale struck and I found myself, along with the audience, clapping. Give us more of the provocative sophistication, please!

Saturday, March 4
SITUATIONIST
The Georgian brand known for their leather teamed up with Ukrainian Yaspis to make a statement – both visually and politically? The brand’s usual tailoring was broken up with lace and faux fur, maintaining rigidness but introducing a softer edge. Accents of red were delicious.

Sunday, March 5
OTTOLINGER

You are committed to form but not material! You are dressed for every evening of your life unfolding at once! Industrial show venue, Avril Lavigne, Halsey and Tyga front row, poetically rhythmic show notes in a sealed envelope on every seat and a hot collaboration with Puma – this is what went down at Ottolinger. 

ATLEIN
Back in Palais de Tokyo Atlein was showing off their sparkliest jewels! Soundtracked by Moderat, Atlein was party dresses meets diamond necklaces meets an elusive (or subversive?) energy. I would wear every single look if it guaranteed exuding the undeniable coolness that accompanied the collection, and I feel like it does.

Monday, March 6
STELLA MCCARTNEY
White horses at Stella, oh my!!! Besides the fact that the show had the worst standing ticket arrangement in the world and I had to step on someone else’s toes to see the runway (fun!), it was a magical Monday morning at Stella Mccartney. Speaking of the runway, it was anything but. Held in L’Ecole Militaire, the show was overlooking a stable, where upon the first strike of the show’s soundtrack, the majestic man I later found out was a true horse whisperer named Jean-François Pignon, hailed the white horses out and continued to dance around with them all throughout the defilé. The show looked like every 8-year-old girl’s dream, to be quite frank. Beautiful!

DUNDAS
I mean, when a show invitation says to casually come to Palais Garnier…you know it’s going to be grand! The great halls of an Opera building were lit up in bright red and Ana Dello Russo was posing for photographers when I walked in. What a sight!  Peter Dundas’ flamboyant language was only accentuated by the background of arguably one of the most eccentric venues in Paris. Would have been even more spectacular if the shoes fit the models…Oops.

Tuesday, March 7
Y/PROJECT
Dare I say the most anticipated show of the season? Maybe…definitely….
Glenn Martens has been THE topic in the industry for a hot minute now and it seems like he has captured us all in a web of denim. Denim reinterpretations in an industrial setting, more middle finger earrings and bedazzled roses were the highlights of the show once again, reiterated and updated from the previous season. Finale looks were denim embroidered chiffon dresses. I never thought I would use the words “denim embroidered” and “chiffon” in the same sentence but hey, Glenn did it again!

AVELLANO
Noah Cyrus and James Goldstein sitting to my right, Ellen Von Unwerth taking photos on the left, this is how I ended my Parisian fashion adventures. Avellano’s latex eveningwear caused a considerable applause. Might have been the excitement from fashion week being over finally but who knows…