If you don’t know, now you know: 5 new designers to watch at Paris Fashion Week

by Randi Bergman September 30, 2015

You can’t get too far into a conversation about fashion without the obligatory, “ but you gotta give it up for Paris, right?” Anyone with even a budding knowledge of style history would know that the city of lights was where it all began—haute couture, Coco Chanel, the New Look: they’re basically part of the soil. But if there’s one thing Paris had been criticized for, it was its lack of support for new talent. Simply put: if the name wasn’t Lagerfeld, one would have to wait years before getting that plum design gig at an already well-established house. But recently (and some credit the demise of Galliano for it, for better or worse), a changing of the old guard started to take form, with a fresh new crop of designers slowly taking over the Paris Fashion Week schedule. This season, a ticket to Jacquemus is just as important as one to Céline.

Flip through for our guide to the fresh new talent at Paris Fashion Week.

1/5

designers to watch paris fashion week

Vetements
This label has made “the waist is perfect, but the arms are too long!” the most coveted silhouette of 2015. Its got “cool kid” written all over it—last season’s show (which took place in a gay club) was attended by Kanye West and Jared Leto.

2/5

designers to watch paris fashion week

Off White c/o Virgil Abloh
You may know Virgil Abloh as one of the masterminds behind the art collective Been Trill (or as part of Kanye’s entourage). Since 2013 though, he’s been designing fairly gender fluid menswear and sexy womenswear, which both bring a distinct street edge to slouchy layers and denim. Spring’s runway was rife with redone Levi’s.

3/5

designers to watch paris fashion week

Aalto
Only two seasons in, Finland-based Aalto was the buzz of yesterday’s schedule. Its overtly Scandinavian silhouettes (ie. just right for beautiful lanky people) and cool cutouts are welcome street style fodder.

4/5

designers to watch paris fashion week

Jacquemus
Launched by the conveniently handsome Simon Porte in 2011, the LVMH prize-winning Jacquemus is all about playful repetition and interesting, yet surprisingly wearable shapes. It’s pretty fun, too—last night’s show included the designer himself walking a horse across stage mid-show.

5/5

designers to watch paris fashion week

Koche
Basketball shorts, baggy jeans and layers of embellishment—how “right now.” The debut from designer Christelle Kocher brought a little bit of early aughts L.A. to Paris last night, and not in the “Kim Kardashian had her bachelorette here” kind of way.

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