While haute couture remains a cornerstone of the fashion world, its power was showcased on another level in fall 2024, as Paris prepares to once again become the center of the world with the Olympic Games approaching.
On the catwalks, designers referenced global sporting events, with the likes of Dior, Schiaparelli and, most notably, Thom Browne. New interpretations of quiet luxury evolved into a sleeker minimalism and elevated daytime, while heritage couture trends of high shine, bold embellishments and bridal white were key elements of the most exclusive fashion weeks.
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Here, WWD analyzes the seven biggest trends from the Paris Couture Week Fall 2024 collection.
Let yourself shine
From metallic hues in the colors of Olympic medals to sparkling embellishments that would grace the red carpet, the fall 2024 haute couture collections sent a strong message of glamorous shine down the Paris catwalks.
One of the best examples was Giorgio Armani’s Armani Prive Couture collection, which WWD’s Miles Socha described as devoted to “pearlescent colors, pearly textures, and pearlescent embellishments.” The collection continued to sparkle in evening suits and sleek red-carpet dresses in shimmering gold, pearl white, black, and tan hues.
Elsewhere, couture looks on the Paris catwalks sparkled in gold at Balenciaga, Chanel, Julie de Libran, Viktor & Rolf, Iris van Herpen and Thom Browne; in silver at Juana Martin, Tamara Ralph (in mirrored disco ball gowns) and Alexis Mabille, or in dazzling jewel tones, as at Elie Saab.
Winners Circle
With the opening ceremony in Paris just weeks away, the Olympics were on everyone’s minds. Especially for American designer Thom Browne, who “returned to the building blocks of couture [utilizing beige muslin throughout] — and referenced the starting blocks of the upcoming Paris Olympics with numerous sports references,” Socha wrote of the designer’s fall 2024 haute couture show.
His second, fashion-forward, mixed-race collection referenced ancient Greek discus throwers, from “dazzling final blazers in bronze, silver and gold, to modern running shoes with studs attached to the bottom of radical heels with hollowed-out platform soles,” Socha wrote of the looks that concluded the Olympic show in the colours of the medals.
Maria Grazia Chiuri also appeared to be warming up for the Games with a series of athletic-inspired looks, inspired by “the way young female athletes are reclaiming their bodies,” Chiuri told WWD’s Joelle Diderich of her draped goddess gowns — some in metallic hues, others in white, styled over tanks — and sporty bodysuits with gladiator sandals. One bodysuit in particular was embroidered with gold feathers, embodying “Winged Victory.” The victory theme continued with a pair of gilded wings atop a black cape at Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli couture show.
Minimalism evolves
One of the biggest takeaways from the recent Paris menswear collections, according to buyers, was the evolution of the quiet luxury trend towards a “relaxed nonchalance” and “genuine elegance.” This conversation continued on the Paris couture runways as an evolution of minimalism with simplified shapes and stripped back details on some runways.
The trend was led by the Jean Paul Gaultier by Nicolas Di Felice collection, which featured “an abstract, minimalist take on Gaultier’s famous exploration of corsets and lingerie dressing,” Socha wrote. Di Felice’s monochromatic looks ranged from tight trousers to twisted, figure-hugging dresses, all held together with hook-and-eye closures.
Boudoir Beat continues
As Di Felice’s exploration of corsets and lingerie dresses attests, boudoir was a major theme throughout the haute couture season. The continued popularity of sheer and lace layers, cutouts, bra tops and corsets made for alluring, ultra-luxurious interpretations of the trend.
Both on and off the runway at Schiaparelli, sexuality simmered, as seen in the collection’s sultry corset dresses and Kylie Jenner’s ultra-tight blush-pink corset dress and crinoline veil. It was a look that “set the tone for the sultry collection,” Diderich wrote.
Dressed up looks of leisure
Over the past two seasons, a more dressed-up daytime wardrobe has been a key part of global ready-to-wear collections, delivering a powerful message in the Fall 2024 haute couture collections.
The Chanel studio team’s collection was, “rooted in classic Chanel codes, with streamlined tailoring, opulent embellishments and a predominance of black,” wrote Diderich. Tweedy power sets reigned supreme, while Tamara Ralph hinted at “an idealized vision of Paris,” said WWD’s Alex Wynne, with feminine tailoring, as seen in the opening houndstooth dress with pillbox hat and veil.
Giorgio Armani also returned to the idea of formal daywear, enriching classic casual wear, such as tight trousers and jackets, with imaginative details and luxurious fabrics.
At Balenciaga, Demna elevated casual pieces with a couture hand, “pushing the experimental boundaries with jumbo jeans, cocoon-shaped T-shirts, stiff and sculptural leather blouses and pumps so pointy you could pierce a sausage and roast it over an open fire,” Socha wrote of the collection, which even included a couture sports jersey.
Special effects
Otherworldly textures were a feast for the eyes of the fall 2024 haute couture season, with exaggerated fringe, feathers and 3D enhancements adding drama to the runways.
At Schiaparelli, for example, “Roseberry alternated between sculptural sheaths made of layers of hand-cut ribbons that fell open at the hips, and explosions of stiff tulle,” Socha said.
“I wanted it to feel old and masterful, but also young and a little bit twisted at the same time,” Roseberry told WWD.
Elsewhere, designer Imane Ayissi adorned jewel-toned dresses with long fringes of raffia, or “African sequins,” he told WWD. “A dream of galloping on horseback became a swirl of billowing horsehair as the model walked,” WWD’s Lily Templeton wrote of the animalistic “furry” black dress from Ashi Studio.
The new bride
Historically, white wedding dresses were often the last exit of many shows. As more brides look to the runways for their weekend wedding ensembles, the number of wedding dresses included in collections has increased, as evidenced by the many elegant white ensembles in Dior’s fall couture collection. Additionally, designers are offering more directional takes on traditional wedding whites, with styles ranging from glamorous and fantastical to simplistic for every type of bride.
Highlights included Chanel’s flowing ivory gown with a floral-embroidered bodice, reminiscent of Princess Diana’s wedding dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, Diderich said.
Then there’s Stéphane Rolland’s voluminous white hooded dress, adorned with porcelain embroidery and white organza petals – perfect for the bride who wants more; Charles de Vilmorin’s Gothic bridal couple, or Alexis Mabille’s shimmering, veiled catsuit, ready for a reception party.
Launch Gallery: Fall 2024 Couture Trends: Boudoir, Bridal, Daytime, Furry, Minimalism & Shine
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