This fashion month was eventful and definitely left us with a lot of thoughts. We had iconic fashion houses premiering new lines from new creative directors and, of course, we had Gucci leaving Milan fashion week and going for the Paris fashion week instead. We have compiled our ‘faves’ and ‘lames’ shows for you in case you missed the good and the embarrassing stuff, so lets get started!

MONSE

Let me start off by saying that Monse always has me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what they’ll come out with next. I love the concept the brand and I’m always fascinated  with the weird and out of the box take on everyday basics.  

This collection was no less to what I was expecting. Like everyone else, I loved seeing Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia put out mens clothes but what I loved even more is the fact that the pieces recognise no gender gender and can be worn by anyone. I feel like this is the type of inclusivity we are currently looking for in fashion. 

The collection seemed to keep up with the ongoing trend of soft and comfortable fashion. As you may have noticed, a lot of the trends these past few seasons have had to do with comfort and practicality (e.g. biker shorts, dad sneakers etc.). Monse seems to be falling within that trend spectrum as they have kept the clothes very simple and loose fitting and use soft and comfortable materials.

Another trend Monse seems to be bringing to the spotlight is the nautical theme, which is not really my favourite (imma sit this one out). Overall I really loved how almost every look was classic elegance but with and edge to it which gave it a whole new dimension. 

Burberry 

I had such a strong anticipation for this collection. After the show stopping finale that Christopher Bailey pulled, I was so excited to see Ricardo Tisci step in and take the brand in a whole new direction. After the new print was realised I was even more excited what this collection had to bring to the table, but I was left starving. The only way to describe this collection is underwhelming and sad. 

It felt as if Tisci tried to address every possible market group he possibly could, starting off with the beige fantasy segment of the line (so sexy). I mean what woman wouldn’t want to wear a scarf in the middle of the crotch and top it off with a coat that makes you look like a plucked chicken.

Then he presented a take on streetwear which felt forced with looks that featured stamps that not even fast fashion chains would put out. The creepy victorian pictures are like sooo it!

The death of Bambi is something that seriously needs to be addressed in this time and age. I mean, with everything else going on at the moment Bambi is sitting right there at the top, you know?

 And what the heck is up with the belted suits? Did he just take bike locks and waist trainers and used them as accessories for these poor models?

Next we have the revamp of the famous Burberry Trench coat, which I’m not even gonna talk about cause it’s not worth it. 

And did we all see the series of black dresses in the end? Someone explain.

 Having said all that, I’m not commenting any further, I’m sure you get it by now.

Gucci

Gucci turned some heads when it announced that it will be hosting its show in Paris instead of Milan this season. However, it was all in good reason as the show took place at  Le Palace in Paris and it was truly iconic. Even though I have a major appreciation for minimalistic style, I love Alessandro Michele for his tasteful and absurd tackiness.  This collection hit such a soft spot for me with its strong late 70’s early 80’s influences as it is my favourite stylistic period. The garments were executed beautifully and the whole theme felt like an introduction to this years MET Gala, which as you may already know, Alessandro will be co-chairing.

I really don’t have a lot of specific things that I liked because I loved everything. The colour blocking, the texture combos and the accessories were just exquisite. 

Overall it was one of these shows that give you goose bumps, make you wanna laugh but also bring tears to your eyes. If you are a fashion lover you will have already seen the show and if you’re not I strongly strongly recommend that you watch it. I believe that this show has truly marked fashion history. 

Celine

This was Celines debut show after Phoebe Philo retired last season. As you may suspect, along with everyone else, I was waiting very impatiently to see what Slimane would do with the brand, as Philo is a tough act to follow. 

The collection was a series of unflattering 80’s-ish look that no-one has missed. The silhouettes looked awkward and recycled. I understand that he may have wanted to divert from what Philo did, but at the same time he stripped Celine off the values that make it. Where is the clothing for the boss lady? And how is the cast selection representative of the population?

Pyer Moss

The fashion industry needs more designers like Kerby Jean Raymond. He made a true statement this season, which many designers often neglect in the attempt to come out  with the next trends and likeable collections. 

The concept of this show was “What the African-American culture would look like without the constant threat of racism”. The collection showcased many athletic ready-to-wear suits and cool layerings of different textures and lengths but to me the real show stoppers where the prints. They are such a big part of the culture and his take on them was so fresh. It looks like true art on clothing.

I believe it was a very impactful show from the place, to the models to the styling and just like Gucci I believe this is a show that you must absolutely watch if you haven't already.  It has something to say. 

Versace

I did not really hate Versace . But let’s get something straight; this brand is pure clout. If we actually take a closer look in the clothing, it’s hardly anything groundbreaking or memorable. Donatella is clearly a marketing genius and with her Versace nostalgia and all the 90’s supermodel tributes, she has managed to maintain the brand’s iconic reputation.

In this collection I actually liked the color scheme of the line and I adored the leather pieces.

However the different patterns where unfortunately mixed together, and it made the maximalist aesthetic of the brand look, quite frankly, like circus throw up. 

I feel like the lines get more and more boring year and it is so sad to see such an iconic brand turn basic. VERSACE EXCITE US.  

Valentino

A breath of Fresh Air. That’s what this show felt like. It presented couture but it looked so wearable and felt so inclusive. 

Something I particularly liked about this show was the model selection. It was diverse in a more holistic sense than just ethnicity. I loved the prints and the colours but my favourite thing about the collection is how Pierpaolo made soft and flowy garments look structured with his use of fabric. 

The setting was bright and emphasised the clothing which I really appreciate. A show stopping collection which I would recommend watching (yes again). 

Balenciaga

I loved Balenciaga this season. How long has it been since we’ve seen Demna do something simple and tasteful? First thing I noticed in this collection is how he made the unisex look feminine. After seeing “androgynous” looks all these years it’s so refreshing to see that pushes the limits of that with well structured minimalistic pieces which attempt to manipulate the silhouette.

I also thought that Demna's play on dimensions to enhance the figure was genius. What I also thought was groundbreaking was his palette selection. It did not include floras or pastels! Instead the colours of the garments where either really muted or really bold. This, I guess, falls under the 80’s neon vibe which is coming back, and honestly, I’m very much on board.

The model selection of the show was also refreshingly diverse and the whole show truly transported you in a  different dimension (so, yes watch it, it’s very nice I promise). 

Off-White

This one really pissed me off. Virgil Abloh had the charming idea of creating a competitive setting for the runway to represent the competitive lifestyle that most of us women lead. However, I am not sure whether this is an attempt to support the feminist movement or enter a new market. Time will tell.

But let’s talk about the actual clothing. I’m gonna start off with the pee-stained fabrics which still make me cringe to my very core. Why would you do that to women? Of course there were a few cute ready to wear pieces modelled by the big names, but the rest of the silhouettes just weren’t 'IT’ sis. Oh, and did we all catch the neon snake print pieces. Of course, you did how could you miss that. Groundbreaking am I right?

I feel like this was a very unimaginative attempt to be playful with womens’ clothing. Honestly, I would jump on every opportunity I get to wear a huge skirt, but let’s be objective most of these pieces look so bad. You wanna support the modern day woman? Give us useful and comfortable clothing that will turn all the heads. I feel like the whole Serena William collab have him a perfect boost to be bolder but overall I think it was just misdirected. I would love to see more collections that follow that vibe, but they need a serious revamp, because personally, I would not like to look like a dance mom reject (Slide 3).

Honestly, there are so many more shows I would love to talk about in this post but that would make it overwhelmingly long. I want to clarify that i respect and love the work of all of these designers, however, it is always good to actually critique what they put out there instead of just eating everything up. We are allowed to disagree!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this post! Let us know in the comments which shows you loved from this fashion month!