Haute Couture and High Jewellery Take the Paris Stage

Welcome back to The Week Ahead. This is Mimosa Spencer, luxury editor at BoF, with an overview of what to look out for next week.

PARIS – Haute Couture week kicks off in Paris on Monday, drawing well-heeled crowds to the carpeted runways and private, gilded salons of the French capital’s palace hotels and Place Vendôme flagships. Everyone’s hoping to be spared another energy-sapping heat wave after the one that hit the recent men’s shows – melting showgoers in couture gowns does not sound like an attractive prospect.

The displays next week will offer a peek into the latest strategies of Europe’s biggest luxury houses to keep their all-important VIC clients engaged – shoppers brands have relied on most during the punishing downturn. The challenge will be to ignite interest of the wealthiest clients with compelling design propositions, while also attracting the attention of less affluent customers – many of whom are holding back on luxury purchases in an inflationary environment, but who remain critical to future industry growth. (Most clients are unable to afford a six-figure dress, but top-end styles can drive interest for more affordable products).

The industry’s most closely watched style reboots, Dior and Chanel, will be major highlights of the week, with sophomore couture outings from creative directors Jonathan Anderson and Matthieu Blazy, respectively.

• Jonathan Anderson’s Dior: Dior’s runway outing takes place on the first day, allowing Anderson to hold the spotlight after grabbing it over the weekend with a colossal celebrity coup – dressing Taylor Swift for her wedding with Travis Kelce. The image-boosting move from LVMH’s second-biggest brand comes as it faces pressure to show signs of improving sales. While scores of creative directors are settling into new positions, the pressure on Anderson is particularly acute. He is in charge of men’s and women’s collections as well as the house’s expansive couture ateliers. This latest chapter of his wide-sweeping creative reset will offer further insight into how his vision gels across a vast product palette.
• Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel: Chanel’s sales growth has bounced back at a faster pace than the rest of the industry. Blazy’s Tuesday show will be eyed for signs of how the designer plans to continue stoking brand heat after selling out key styles from his first collection.
• Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga: Piccioli’s Balenciaga is still coming into focus, after just two runway outings under his belt. Following on the heels of the brand’s NBA collaboration and release of a new TechWear line, it will be interesting to see where the former Valentino designer – with years of experience dressing the red carpet set – will take the Kering-owned label at the high end.
• Duran Lantink’s Jean Paul Gaultier: Lantink is another one to watch closely. It will be the third runway outing for the Dutch designer of the Puig-owned brand. After a polarizing debut, his second show was seen as more convincing.
• Guest designers: Invited designers on the Paris calendar include Indian couturier Manish Malhotra and Irish designer Michael Stewart’s Standing Ground – interest has been mounting in particular for the 2024 winner of the LVMH savoir-faire prize.

High Jewellery

Dozens of jewellery houses are also flocking to the city with their latest designs. Kering’s Boucheron, industry-leader Cartier, which belongs to Richemont, LVMH’s Chaumet and Chanel are all exhibiting at the industry’s epicenter, the Place Vendôme, as well as smaller brands that will host exhibits across the square at The Ritz.

The luxury sector’s main bright spot, a fast-growing jewellery market has prompted challenger brands and big fashion houses like Kering-owned Gucci to bulk up their offers. As they angle for market share, luxury groups are snapping up suppliers and pooling resources internally, while brands like Chanel recruit new artistic directors.

The Week Ahead wants to hear from you! Send tips, suggestions, complaints and compliments to mimosa.spencer@businessoffashion.com.