Last Updated on October 21, 2015 by
Spring/Summer 2016 Fashion Week in Paris (PFW) came to a close two weeks ago but my blisters from running around the city and the overall cloud nine feeling of excitement have not waned one bit. I snapped almost 600 photos that are taking up way too much storage on my phone but I now consider them treasures. Unfortunately, I am a mere normal, teenage fashion-obsessed girl and did not have access into the fashion shows, but I was able to put my normal teenage fashion-obsessed social media stalking skills to the test and find out where some of the shows were happening around Paris. As a result, I found the Elie Saab, Chanel, and Valentino shows and snapped a bunch of snazzy street style photos before and after the fashion shows.
Elie Saab
This was the first show I went to and it was in the incredibly scenic Tuileries Garden venue, a match made in heaven for Saab’s typical ethereal aesthetic. On the positive side, it is absolutely beautiful and you can get lost in this public park for hours and stumble upon many stunning landscapes. On the negative side, this garden is extremely large with about six different entrances scattered around so initially it was a little difficult to find out exactly where the show was taking place. Luckily the scavenger hunt didn’t last too long after I just followed some impressively stylish people down to the gated entrance. I didn’t notice anyone I recognized from the fashion industry, but there were some pretty notable ensembles that I snapped below.
Chanel
I was way too excited for this show that I actually skipped French class to attend (sorry mom). Unfortunately I got lost on the way to the venue, the Grand Palais, but I was able to snap photos of several of the crème de la crème outfits coming out of the show. Along with all of the outrageously important/rich/fierce/intimidating/wow-can-I-be-you looking people strolling nonchalantly with their Chanel goodie bags and Chanel airport ticket in hand, I also saw three models who walked in the show (Minzxi, Soojoo, and Stella Maxwell!) I didn’t think the day could get any cooler until I noticed a full fiery red-headed cloud bobbing through the crowd; it was the Grace Coddington (Creative Director of Vogue)! I was expecting Anna Wintour to be trailing behind but she was nowhere to be found. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was lifted from a secret helicopter and transported from show to show since she is Anna Wintour. All in all, the Chanel fashion crowd did not disappoint.
Valentino
Right after the Chanel show I raced back to the metro to check out the Valentino crowd at the Tuileries Garden. Upon arrival, it began to rain which I thought was going to ruin the whole event, but it actually made it easier to spot and snap photos of the arrivals since they walked on an easily identifiable white pathway up to the doors. Valentino was packed to the brim with celebrities, musicians, and super influential people in the fashion industry. To name a few- Linda Fargo (Senior Vice President, Women’s Fashion Director, and Store Presentation of Bergdorf’s), Carine Roitfeld (former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Paris), Nina Garcia (Creative Director of Marie Claire), Anna Dello Russo (Editor-at-Large and Creative Consultant of Vogue Japan), Leandra Medine (creator of Man Repeller) were all in attendance. Of course I looked like a sewer rat from the rain, but it was unbelievably cool to be in their infectiously creative presences.
Over the course of the three shows and all of the fashionable chaos that occurred, I felt like Kate Hudson circa Almost Famous, though unfortunately without the golden ringlets and rocking crop tops. My PFW days may be over but my excitement will never cease.
