This autumn/winter season, Paris Fashion Week reorients sensuality through a workwear lens and takes the cake for being one of the most tailored and textural collections to date. Read on to discover the designers we were floored by, and their captivating womenswear collections.

Shape was a recurring source of inspiration for the Paris womenswear collection this AW ‘23 season, as everyone from Issey Miyake to Ann Demeulemeester imbued sculptural silhouettes, deconstructed tailoring, and intimate, feminine lines into their extraordinary collections. As power-dressing is recontextualised for a Gen Z crowd, this season is all about irregularity, form, and sharp proportions.

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Issey Miyake

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Ann Demeuleestar

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Fans of the classic Parisian style were sure to be impressed by the week's elevated capsule basics, which inspired us all to up our work-wear game. Monsieur Laurent featured an ode to dramatic, 80’s inspired dressing that was severe yet sensual, as his opening pinstripe and shoulder padded suits, glamourised with flashes of gold jewellery and plunging necklines, were looks to remember this week. Elsewhere, Chloé created the perfect office-to-opulent occasion line, with their stunning monochrome uniform consisting of fur coats, blazer and skirt two pieces, and patent leather boots serving luxury-meets-comfort this winter.

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Monsieur Laurent

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Chloé

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For the more Y2K-affiliated fashion lover, look no further than Acne Studios and Kiko Kostadinov to find incredibly designed eveningwear pieces, as they ushered in the mismatched aesthetic beautifully this week. Jonny Johansson transported us into the mystical realm of a fairy forest, filled with poisonous vines, flora, and tree sap, inspired by the dark winters of Sweden. Here, each of the looks aestheticised the natural elements. Stylishly ripped leaf print dresses were paired with oak-tree pants and vine wrap sandals, while other looks consisted of tree-bark halters and leather pants, or tailored bootlace two-pieces. Gauzy fabrics were oversized to offcut perfection, featuring cut-outs, romantic lines, and embroidered floral details straight out of a contemporary Midsummer Night's Dream.

Conjuring a major weird girl aesthetic moment, Kiko Kostadinov’s collection was one of the most unique of the showcase. Serving some haunted academia vibes, the show took place at the Lycée Henri-IV secondary school and presented us with a uniform for the girls. 2000s-style layering dominated the collection itself, as halter mini-dresses were paired with grey tracksuit and micro cardigan features, while cut-out tank-tops were layered generously over tiny scarves, camis, dresses, and woollen boots. Statement hair was also a trending style woven throughout, with models sporting micro-fringes and light hair with dark roots as accessories. Bold and individualistic, we can’t wait to see Bella Hadid rock and inspire collections like this!

What would Paris Fashion Week be without some fashion history being made? Schiaparelli presented their first ever ready-to-wear runway this week, keeping in the theme of elegant eveningwear à la The Nanny. Black turtlenecks and bold skirt bases were coupled with headscarves, gold jewellery, kitten heels, and, yes, flowers, but the real highlights were the statement coats we need in our wardrobe ASAP. These included gold button infused silk puffers, beautiful leopard print coats, and swirling b&w gems that were the epitome of chic.

While statement dressing has been trending this autumn/winter, Paris amplified it subversively this season, culminating in a showcase that was as fiercely imaginative as it was fantastical. As we head into the colder months, we’re more inspired than ever to dopamine dress to the max, taking inspiration from these beautiful Parisian baddies!

If you liked this piece about Paris Fashion Week, you might also like our piece on the Dior Ready-to-Wear A/W ‘23-24 show.