During Paris Fashion Week, Gabriela Hearst showcases a collection featuring vintage fur while addressing sustainability in fashion, alongside notable shifts in presentation styles from other designers.
Gabriela Hearst is making headlines during Paris Fashion Week with a pivotal turn in her sustainable fashion approach, showcasing a collection that prominently features vintage fur items. In a striking presentation, Hearst introduced a selection that includes a mink coat, jacket, and stole, stating, “We bought all these old mink coats in Italy, and pieced them together.” The collection not only honors vintage real fur but also incorporates faux fur constructed from silk schappe, a product derived from leftover fibers in silk cocoon processing.
Further distinguishing her line, Hearst utilized python skin sourced from Inversa, a company labeled as “ethical exotics.” Inversa focuses on procuring skins from non-native species, particularly invasive pythons from Florida that pose threats to local ecosystems. The rationale is that by using these skins, the brand can contribute to environmental balance while creating high-fashion pieces.
Hearst’s embrace of mink reflects a broader revitalization of real fur within the fashion sector, which had seen a significant decline in recent years due to ethical concerns surrounding animal welfare. With voices on both sides of the debate, supporters of real fur contend that synthetic alternatives, often made from plastic, present their own environmental issues. Critics of fake fur argue that while it may be made from recycled materials, the lifecycle of such products is limited, likely ending in a landfill after their use.
This year’s Paris Fashion Week has also marked a shift in presentation styles, moving away from large-scale productions towards more intimate shows. Designers like Demna at Balenciaga have redefined their runway setups, opting for minimalistic arrangements that emphasize closeness to the garments on display. The Balenciaga show featured a streamlined catwalk flanked by simple black chairs, with no formal seating arrangement, giving guests an unmediated view of the collection. “I wanted proximity to the clothes, because fashion should feel urgent,” Demna explained after the show.
Following similar trends, British designer Sarah Burton for Givenchy invited only 300 guests, ensuring a closer connection to her designs. In a move towards experiential fashion, models at Schiaparelli were treated to fragrance before their runway appearances, reinforcing the connection between the audience and the clothing.
The Balenciaga collection displayed a mix of casual and formal elements, with models straying from extravagant ensembles in favor of everyday attire—black trouser suits and casual accessories such as bike helmets and shopping bags. “It’s easy to put a chair on a head and call it wearable art… but I’d rather make a coat that someone tells me is the best coat they’ve been wearing for the past five years,” said Demna, emphasizing his focus on practicality in fashion.
Valentino also embraced an unconventional concept, with designer Alessandro Michele presenting a set design inspired by nightclub restrooms. Complete with strip lighting and stainless steel fixtures, the ambience aimed to evoke personal disclosures and intimacy, a stark juxtaposition against the typical grandeur associated with fashion shows.
As Paris Fashion Week unfolds, these variations in approach to sustainability and the personal experience of fashion signal a potential reconfiguring of industry standards, with designers keenly aware of the evolving expectations from consumers.
Source: Noah Wire Services
