Paris Fashion Week starts under a cloud of war

Paris Fashion Week starts today, with 45 houses and brands set to hold physical shows, according the official schedule published by the French Fashion Federation (FHCM).

Alongside the runway shows there  will be 37 presentations as well as 13 digital format events. In total there are 95 events listed on the schedule. Around town, Dior will celebrate the reopening of its flagship boutique on Friday, after an extensive renovation.

All eyes on the Ukraine

The damper of a Ukranian invasion is clouding all of Europe, Paris Fashion Week included. All eyes will be toward the east and the events that unfold in the coming days. It is always difficult to reconcile the meaning of fashion during times of distress and war.

Paris Fashion Week will be a season of firsts, including the first Off-White show since the passing of its founder Virgil Abloh last year. VTMNTS, the sister brand of Vetements led by Guram Gvasalia, will host its first ever catwalk show and The Row, the Los Angeles-based luxe minimalist brand founded by the Olsen twins, will also hold its catwalk presentation in the French capital.

This season all shows and events will be livestreamed, with the French Fashion Federation having invested in technology and strengthening its digital messaging.

Still absent will the buyers and press from China and many from Japan are also not traveling with quarantine requirements on return. While borders are finally opening again, international travel remains well below 2019 levels.

With Covid-19 looming in the background and Russia invading Ukraine, many will be focused on what is happening elsewhere. The shows will and must go on, of course, even if the economic implications of a war and Russian sanctions will be felt by many in the industry.