STREET STYLE
Nineteen days and more than 150 shows later, we’ve made it to Paris.
Outside the fashion shows of the past month, the crowds have been crackling with an energy that’s been missing for years. The streets of New York were ecstatic. In London, the mood was initially subdued, dampened by the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but the city made a spirited rally on its final day. Milan, on the other hand, can always be counted on to dress the part. Italians have a way of turning out for the things they are proudest of — Ferrari, Prada, Gucci. (In Milan, the fashion-obsessed accessorize almost exclusively with Italian brands.) It’s a sportier affair than other city’s fashion weeks but also a strange, beautiful mess. You can’t catch a taxi to save your life, but it’s not Italy if it’s not a little discombobulated.
Still, Paris is always the champion when it comes to fashion, and the street style from the first couple of days of Paris Fashion Week surpassed just about everything from the previous month. The crowds in Paris are even bigger than those in Milan, but that chaos leads to the most vivid of images. When celebrities show up, onlookers are too excited and distracted to notice the camera pointing straight at them. (It’s better when they don’t pose — unguarded, in their natural state.) Squeezing through mobs to find especially interesting people is perhaps the best part of the job.
Seasons like this suggest a promising future for fashion week, particularly for street style: one that isn’t just about celebrities, editors and influencers, but about everyone who comes and truly cares.
