The Top 6 Shows at Paris Couture Week SS22
From Glenn Martens’ takeover at Jean Paul Gaultier, to Schiaparelli’s space-inspired collection.
Paris Couture Week returned for the Spring/Summer 2022 season, bringing fashion fantasy to the runway with a slew of otherwordly garments. Big houses like Chanel and Fendi continued to present in-person shows, as did Schiaparelli and Viktor & Rolf.
Arguably one of the buzziest presentations of the week, Jean Paul Gaultier invited Glenn Martens as the second guest designer for his couture collection. The Y/Project and Diesel fused his aesthetic with JPG’s iconic style. Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli and Kim Jones of Fendi took inspiration from space and sci-fi films for their designs, while Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino explored body positivity and inclusivity.
Continue scrolling to see our top picks this Paris Couture Week.
While you’re here, peep the best beauty moments we came across at Dior, Chanel and more.
Chanel
Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Virginie Viard played with ’20s-style feathers and fringes for her latest Chanel Couture collection. The show opened with brand ambassador Charlotte Casiraghi — also a professional equestrian — riding a horse down the runway, which led to backlash for animal abuse. The presentation took place in a space created in partnership with artist Xavier Veilhan, with models dressed in summer tweed suits, feather dresses and more.
Fendi
Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
Space, astrology, heaven and Rome were just a few of the keywords for Kim Jones’ Fendi Couture collection. The designer revealed to Vogue that he had been re-reading Dune, which was evident throughout the show, with models dressed in ethereal evening gowns hand-painted with statues. More prints following the same theme took over draped dresses, contrasting black sequin gowns. Additional highlights include crystal geode and amethyst jewelry pieces designed by Delfina Delettrez.
Jean Paul Gaultier by Glenn Martens
Arnaud Lajeunie/Jean Paul Gaultier
Glenn Martens showcased his much-anticipated team-up with Jean Paul Gaultier, who previously joined forces with sacai’s Chitose Abe for the relaunch of his couture collection. The Y/Project designer incorporated his signature aesthetic, shown through cut-out details and Y-shaped silhouettes, into JPG’s iconic style such as sailor stripes. He explained that the range was a “celebration of Gaultier,” with references to ’90s JPG including corsets and chiffon dresses.
Schiaparelli
Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
Creative director Daniel Roseberry envisioned an escape to space for his latest couture show. He called his presentation “Planet Schiaparelli,” with inspiration from sci-fi films like Dune, Interstellar and Arrival. Brass rings were placed on a black corset to replicate the look of Saturn, while the brand’s surrealist aesthetic was found on the “Medusa dress,” a design that uses a new technique involving the molding of wet gold leather. The theme was carried throughout accessories, including earrings and handbags.
Valentino
Valentino
Pierpaolo Piccioli aimed to break the norm for couture shows with his latest collection. “In couture you never see these bodies. Never,” he said, highlighting the show that featured models of more diverse sizes than the typical haute couture collection. He shared that he wanted to embrace diverse body proportions, sizes and ages: “In runway shows, sometimes there are 50 skinny models and one bigger-sized. I feel like you don’t really relate to that. You don’t believe that. You just tick the box.” He opted for more dynamic silhouettes, with tulle dresses contrasting more voluminous and glamorous gowns.
Viktor & Rolf
Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Viktor & Rolf looked to vampires and Dracula this season. “Dracula is such a powerful symbol of the fear of change in society… This made us think of a shoulder line that we developed almost 30 years ago, in our very, very first collection for the contest in Hyères in 1993,” Rolf Snoeren explained the inspiration behind the ultra-high shoulders lifted above the neck for each of the looks on the runway. The garments were accompanied by glam following the same theme, seen through extra-long nails, dark-colored lips and more.
