Haute couture

Ever since news broke last week that Pierpaolo Piccioli, the designer of Valentino, was leaving the brand, paeans to his talent have been flowing on both social and fashion media. But of all the words used to describe Piccioli's work - its "genius" and "magic" and "vision," its "dreaminess" and "beauty" - the one that most stands out to me is "humanity."

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.

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.

Dior put on an austere sci-fi spectacle at Paris Fashion Week on June 23 that wowed the audience with models rising unexpectedly out of hidden trapdoors.

Despite the impressive gimmick, Dior's creative director Kim Jones told AFP the stark, metallic set design was aimed at putting the focus on the outfits --not always the case in the publicity-hungry world of high fashion.

Για το Valentino Haute Couture Show

Images of traditional embroideries and floral paintings adorned the walls of Dior's celebrity-laden runway homage to Ukraine as Paris' four-day Couture Week kicked off on July 3.

Menswear proved to be in reinvigorated form as Paris Fashion Week ended on June 26 with spectacle, innovation and the return of big-name designers to the catwalk.

The week concluded with the surprising return of fabled French designer Hedi Slimane, formerly of Dior and Saint Laurent and now with Celine. Two years ago, he had announced he was done with the official fashion calendar.

The atelier, the workshop of hands, took the Dior center stage on Jan. 24 for a refined show on the first day of Paris couture week, which aims to elevate the work of the house's behind-the-scenes seamstresses.