Everything Worth Seeing at Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022

For Anthony Vaccarello, Art Deco isn’t just an aesthetic, but a vibe. He looked to the ethos of the era, pulling indirect references in the form of languid silhouettes, innovative faux fur coats, and the blurring of lines between masculine and feminine. As the brand’s press notes state: “Nancy Cunard, the independent-minded activist publisher who dressed audaciously ahead of her time⁠—giving a masculine wardrobe her own indelible imprint⁠—served as a guiding template.”

Virgil Abloh’s passing in November 2021 was a blow to the fashion industry and the many lives he influenced. This posthumous collection read more like an ode to the designer who not only leaped beyond the limits he was given, but created an inclusive platform for others. In tow, his supporters showed up both on and off the runway. Naomi Campbell, Serena Williams, and Cindy Crawford graced the runway, while Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and designers such as Jonathan Anderson, Olivier Rousteing, and Matthew Williams sat on the sidelines. A man known for his quotations, Abloh’s lasting legacy will always be his advocacy for others. This time, the words were waved high on a flag, reading: “Question Everything.”

Maria Grazia Chiuri aimed to reinvent the codes of Christian Dior, marrying the past, the present, and the future. Large-format paintings hung in the gallery stage, featuring women from the 16th to the 19th centuries, signaling their societal roles as people to be seen, a feminist bent that Chiuri has addressed during her career at Dior. This exploration is further developed via crisply tailored suits, fluorescent jumpsuits ready for Speed Racer, and, most surprisingly, the designer’s signature tulle gowns, offset with shoulder pads.