Paris Fashion Week: 6 New Designers in the Spotlight

Prèt-à-Porter Spring/Summer 2016 Collections

Right now, Paris runways are flanked by the traveling fashion pack fresh from attending the shows in Milan, London, and New York. All hungry to savor the special mix of technical know-how, glamour, and originality only the City of Light’s designer talents can deliver in such a luscious dose.

Nearly 100 shows are listed on the official fashion calendar’s program. Each with its own special take on what to wear next spring and summer.

For the past two decades I have covered the leading lights of Paris fashion ranging from Hubert de Givenchy, to Alexander McQueen, to Dior’s John Galliano, to Lanvin, Chanel, YSL and Jean Paul Gaultier, just to name a few. These are the shows full of electric excitement, colorful spectacle and talent galore. Front rows studded with the likes of Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rihanna and Sting.

But this season, I am intrigued by the winds of change blowing in from the lesser-known ranks of fresh fashion talents. They are designers still in their twenties and thirties, and they master the techniques not only of couture, but also of social media. Their creations are found in concept stores or on the internet. And I do not attend their shows for the spectacle but to discover the originality of their clothes.

Here are the ones to watch:

Simon Porte Jacquemus is a young man from the south of France. His inspirations come from the 1980’s, producing collections that are conceptual, with a great deal of humor and unabashed minimalism. He has the nod from Rei Kawakubo, creator of Comme des Garçons, and is sold in her flagship store in Paris.

This young, Belgian-Italian talent produces electrifying shows which display his sensuous, sultry creations. He is the master of the little short dress with an edgy take on grunge and an ode to the fearless woman.

This young Belgian designer first honed his skills at Lanvin and Cacharel. The first show under his name in 2012 immediately captured the attention of fashion critics. His precise cuts, fluid lines and minimalist femininity is in sync with a modern woman’s quest for subtle refinement.

Winner of the prestigious ANDAM prize for a debut collection in 2013 in Paris, Christine is known for her geometric lines, bold colors, and the fluid architecture of her prèt a porter line. She is also showing promise in her simple and elegant accessories line.

This beautiful young Chinese designer based in Paris is already in full ascension. She has shown her own line of Haute Couture since 2011. Her fluid, gossamer creations belie an intricate, sophisticated construction expressing an intense femininity. She has recently been named artistic director of the House of Leonard.

An ex-Parisian It Girl, Olympia has created a line of clothes exuding retro sensuality. She has a fresh take on what it takes to be sexy in the fashion capital of the world. No wonder models smile when wearing her clothes on the catwalk!