French fashion designers

Haute couture week in Paris showcases the fashion world's most elite outfits - one-off, made-to-measure creations that the labels hope will adorn red carpets and high society events around the world.

As Paris Couture Week drew to a close, Fendi offered a hypnotic blend of minimalist futurism and homage to the legendary Karl Lagerfeld.

New York's Metropolitan Museum has pulled the curtain back on its latest blockbuster exhibit, showcasing women couturiers many of whom have been kept in the shadows of obscurity until now.

Milan Fashion Week was not even over and the fashionistas were already back in Paris on Sept. 23 for another 100-plus shows in the hectic womenswear season.

The spring-summer 2024 collections in the French capital run until Oct. 3, with 107 brands presenting, of which 67 are giving runway shows.

There were no frills or heels for Christian Dior as the label took over the Rodin Museum in Paris on July 3, putting on a fitting homage to Greek goddesses for the opening day of haute couture week.

The show opened with a long white woolen dress and matching cape, while other designs used pleats to evoke classical-era statues.

The fashion world is on edge as haute couture week kicks off today in Paris, which has seen nights of violent riots over the police killing of a teenager.

Lucked away like Easter eggs in the most prestigious Paris museums, a unique commemoration of designer Yves Saint Laurent cements his status among the greats of French cultural history.

French designer Thierry Mugler, who reigned over fashion in the 1980s and died on Jan. 23, was as famous for his fantastical couture as for his blockbuster fashion shows. He was 73.

Mugler's daring collections came to define the decade's power dressing, with his clothes noted for their structured and sophisticated silhouettes, showcased by his extravagant shows.

Luxury label Pierre Cardin is set to return to Paris Fashion Week in a bid to breathe new life into the brand, its new boss told AFP, just over a year after the death of its legendary founder.

French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, who died earlier this week at the age of 98, was laid to rest on Jan. 2 in a private ceremony at Paris's Montmartre Cemetery, his family told AFP.

In accordance with his wishes, Cardin was buried in a black coffin with a sword he had designed, the handle

French designer Pierre Cardin, who shook up the fashion world with his visionary creations but also turned his name into a money-spinning global brand, died on Dec. 29 aged 98.

Cardin won renown in postwar Europe with his futurist designs that looked like they had arrived from another planet, but he also used his business acumen to create the first truly global fashion empire.