Amazing Fall 2013 Lanvin pieces in the Paris showroom.

At first, I couldn’t find the Lanvin showroom, which is tucked away on a side street in a residential area of Paris. Then around a corner, I spied a tall gentleman wearing leather pants and smoking with the kind of conviction that indicated he was born toting a pack of Marlboros and a leopard print lighter. I followed him down the street and found the showroom—the site of one of my personal highlights from Paris Fashion Week. (All the astonishing looks from the Fall 2013 collection all in one place!)

These are pics of my favourite pieces, beginning with the lovely ladylike dress above, which was worn by It model Cara Delevingne on the runway earlier in the week.

Cara Delevingne on the runway. Photo by ImaxTree.com.

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Runway pics from Balenciaga Fall 2013, at the Balenciaga showroom.

After the surreal beauty and frenzy of the Chanel show at the Grand Palais, ELLE Quebec’s Denis and I hopped on the metro, then grabbed a cab to get to our Balenciaga showroom appontment. (When we gave the driver the address, he said “Balenciaga? Oui.” Different world, friends.) Showroom visits, or re-sees, are one of my favourite parts of Fashion Week. You get to really see the collection, touch the fabric, hear in detail about the inspiration and technical processes for each piece.  I always leave them feeling freshly in love with fashion.

I was particularly excited to see this collection up close. Balenciaga is always one of the most anticipated shows at Paris Fashion Week, but this season hit 11 on the buzz meter—tongues have been wagging since November when designer Nicolas Ghesquière left his post, and New York wonder boy Alexander Wang was tapped to replace him. Wang’s first collection was a success—he was inspired by marble, which resulted in a sober chic palette of black, white and grey, and some absolutely amazing innovative fabrics and textures.

Let’s take a look.

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Saint Laurent Fall 2013. All photos by ImaxTree.com.

Paris Fashion Week is abuzz with talk of Hedi Slimane’s second collection for Saint Laurent, a very literal take on ’90s grunge complete with plaid shirts, baby doll dresses and a California boho twist. No one is arguing that it was a strong collection, although some critics cite the saleability of certain pieces, such as the leather jackets. Fine.

What everyone agrees is that Fall 2013 marks a definitive departure from the legacy of Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008), a fashion prodigy who at age 21 became head designer at Dior, got conscripted into the French army, got fired from Dior, launched his namesake line in 1960 and proceeded to give us such classics as the Le Smoking tuxedo jacket.

Part of the reason for the Slimane uproar stems from Saint Laurent’s deservedly beloved legacy. Some people—like me—are inclined to take Monday’s collection a little personally, to wonder at the point of offering such a deliberately dreary collection under the Saint Laurent name (and at Saint Laurent prices). Slimane’s directive is surely to infuse the storied house with fresh spirit, the kind of youthful joie de vivre to challenge longtime fans while attracting new ones. Nothing wrong with young and fun. But even by those standards, this collection fell short.

Let’s turn to the photos to illustrate six degrees of Saint Laurent Fall 2013, moving away from the original spirit of the house to its current incarnation.

1st degree (above): Recognizable YSL with the playful Peter Pan collar, and chic black and white palette. Call it YSL with punked up twist—Catherine Deneuve’s Belle de Jour en route to Le Baron.

2nd degree (below): This textural coat is easily the most elegant piece in the show. The sparkly black mini dress, however, offers a stronger clue as to the true direction of the collection.

 Click through for the 3rd degree (and 4, 5 and 6)…. 

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The finale walk at Chanel, in the Grand Palais.

Chanel is among the world’s most admired fashion houses. It’s also, indisputably, the most fun. Who else but Karl Lagerfeld would stage a fashion show around an immense rotating globe, with boutiques marked with little double C flags? The message was global fashion and global appeal, underscored by the soundtrack: Daft Punk’s “Around the World” which had editors from nearly every continent nodding their heads to the beat.

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Kayley Chabot, Alberta girl.

I’ve been a huge fan of models since a bobbed Linda Evangelista—wearing a crushed velvet Ralph Lauren jumpsuit—inspired me to buy my first Vogue back in September 1993. (I actually think you can learn a lot about people by finding out about their favourite member of the Trinity: Linda, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell. Hint: Watch out for Naomi fans.)  Paris Fashion Week is packed with amazing models, including up-and-coming Canadian Kayley Chabot, who Denis Desro and I bumped into after the Costume National show.

Kayley made her runway debut during the spring/summer 2013 season, and this fall, she’s walked for some of the world’s top designers, including Roland Mouret and Alexander Wang at Balenciaga. Was she having fun on the show circuit? Yes, definitely. Kayley also sang the praises of fellow model, Erin Macdonald, who she roomed with during New York Fashion Week. “We just had a sleepover last night!” she said, giggling.

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Um, right?

You HAVE to see her full look: head-to-toe Costume National at this morning’s Costume National show. Also, her hair (which you can’t really see from this angle) is AMAZING.

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The crush outside Dior Fall 2013. #backoff

Two things that are different in Paris:

1. At the movies, Silver Linings Playbook is translated as “Happiness Therapy“.

2. McDonald’s offers macarons along with its Big Macs.

One thing that is the same: People read Fifty Shades of Grey on the subway.

And then there’s Fashion Week, which offers multiple daily moments of surprise and delight. These are a few snaps from my photo diary so far. Bienvenue!

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Isabel Marant, interviewed backstage at her Fall 2013 show.

Isabel Marant’s show, yesterday at the Place Vendôme, was packed. It was also running late because 10 Marant models had been en route from Dior and needed a hair and makeup switch-up. (Editors were tardy too. When a security guard told one British spitfire, who has been covering Fashion Week in crutches, that she had to stand because she was too late to take her seat, she hissed “Oh, REALLY?” and huffily hoofed it past him. Fashion Week is beyond amazing, but it doesn’t always bring out the best in people.)

But back to the best—to Marant. The designer creates clothes for 21st-century cool girls, so it’s only fitting that she would be one of them. Still, I was impressed by how Marant managed to make being cool seem so effortless and, well, warm.

After the show—featuring a minimalist collection of luxe leggings and studded mini skirts—I went backstage with ELLE Canada writer Clara Young.

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Russian clients stop for a smoke amid the maelstrom.

Every season, there are a few shows that achieve an almost holy aura, where you can imagine people without invites happily selling their soul for a chance to sit fourth row. For a few years, Balmain has been on this hallowed list. And earlier this week, the scene outside the Hôtel de Ville was enough to make even the most hardened atheist pray for strength. In other words? Holy cow.

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Dutch model Bette Franke rocking retro glamour at Balmain yesterday. Runway photos by ImaxTree.com.

The grey chill in Paris has a romantic, melancholic cast that could move any visitor to poetry. I’m still jetlagged, so I’m opting for poetry of the haiku variety. (Still counts.)

BALMAIN, designed by Olivier Rousteing

 Intergalactic/

Luxe linebackers in bright hues/

Fun ’80s throwback.

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