Yet another week of fashion highlights has come and gone and although there were lots to choose from, here are the shows that made the biggest impressions on us. Now note that this does not mean that they were all equally good, as some contained a dizzying mix of newness and regurgitated codes and styling, often borrowed from other designers. Have a read below and get our interpretation of Paris Fashion Week. 
Comme des Garçons Never dull and always an inspiring highlight during fashion week, Rei Kawakubo’s SS18 collection was presented in Paris on September 30th. Perhaps best described as an oddity that is the purest product of mixing fashion and art, designs featured colourful and surreal prints that included Dutch still lifes and oversized flowers, while accessories included Hello Kitty necklaces. The true power of a collection such as this, much like Rick Owens’ previously, lies in the broad ways in which it can be interpreted and in which it can continue to inspire far beyond the realms of fashion. See the full collection here. 
Céline “I wanted to be optimistic. It was just this sense of joy and life force. It felt like a celebration. I thought, If there’s anything to say at the moment, let it be with love and let it be joyful.” That was Phoebe Philo’s take on her own collection for Céline which she presented on the 1st of October. When looking at the pieces throughout the collection, it became clear that Philo’s inspiration came from the fashion advertisements that were predominant in the mid 80’s to early 90’s. Note that all of this was done without falling into that cheesy appropriation of past aesthetics that feels like an uninspired streetwear collection. Broader shoulders, loose tailoring and perhaps a focus on comfort, confidence and wearability were clear focal points in the development of the collection, which feels like a welcome throwback to a time when it was all easier to grasp. Check out the full collection here. 
Balenciaga “I wanted it to be more Demna, less Cristóbal this time,” said Demna Gvasalia of his latest collection for Balenciaga and it seems it had worked out for him. This, of course, meant that there were more similarities than before with Gvasalia’s own brand, Vetements. To the naked eye, the collection mostly consisted of striped shirts, tartans, pencil skirts, T-shirts and utility pieces; much of the pieces we have come to expect from Vetements. Upon coser inspection of course, Gvasalia and his team, which includes Lotta Volkova, appeared to put forth a completely new approach to layering. One that consisted of attaching the layers to one another, in essence creating morphed pieces that included denim jackets/ utilitycoats and so forth. @dietprada, however, aptly pointed to the very same pieces that were previously shown by Rei Kawakubo, which makes this feat signifcantly less impressive. That being said, we can’t wait for most of the pieces shown to hit the market. Check out the full collection here. 
Sacai When considering Sacai’s SS18 presentation, one might say that it feels much like Balenciaga’s take on the same season, mixed in with Dries van Noten’s SS17 collection. Similar to Gvasalia, Chitose Abe’s Sacai opted for a new take on reconstructed tailoring this season. However, instead of basing pieces around a 65-year-old Dutchman’s closet, Sacai decided on pieces that were more youthful, colourful and diverse. Reconstructed, yet beautifully cut materials included camouflage canvas, tweed and silk. All in all, a collection to be truly inspired by. Check out the full collection here. All images via Vogue.