Paris Fashion Week 2024 is upon us! With one full week of luxury fashion ready to go, fashion lovers everywhere are waiting to see the walking works of art that this show will offer. From dramatic shoulder pads to eye-catching metallics, the show’s designers created tantalizing looks to keep the global audience on the edge of their seats.
This time of year in the fashion industry is crucial for upcoming seasons. Fashion weeks are a major source for trend forecasters because many fast fashion trends stem from luxury brands’ runway shows. Mass market brands look for elements that repeat several times throughout different shows and incorporate them into new clothing items. Since luxury brands are the pinnacle of fashion, it is no wonder that more affordable brands turn to these fashion moguls for inspiration.
Fashion weeks have been accurately predicting emerging trends for over 60 years. The next major trends are almost certainly embedded in the upcoming Paris Fashion Week runway shows. Keep reading to explore all the possibilities that the Spring/Summer 2025 fashion season has in store!
Paris Fashion Week 2024 brings shoulder pads back
With the trend cycle resurrecting fads from the past, it seems like the broad shoulder pads of 80s fashion are due for a comeback. This year’s Paris Fashion Week might be kickstarting that return. From jackets with winged-out shoulders to oversized blazers with obvious padding, shoulder pads are a huge part of these runway shows.
This doesn’t come as a total shock to me, considering the trend of oversized clothing from the past few years. Blazers have been especially popular the last few years and survived a couple of seasonal cycles. Fresh trends can emerge from combining something new with a current trend, so will blazers with shoulder pads become the spring jacket of 2025? Runway designers say yes!
Rabanne
Rabanne chose to style shoulder pads in an oversized blazer. The blazer is worn over a dress that is as short as the jacket itself, which creates a bulky effect, but it works. There is so much fabric in this ensemble that the broad silhouette of the shoulder pads doesn’t appear out of place.
The shoulder-padded look features lots of layers, which work well with the shoulder pads. I find it interesting that the stylist chose to slick back the model’s hair. While it would be a hard look to execute with everyday wear, it’s great on the runway — the lack of hair around the shoulder area allows the shoulder pads to be fully featured.
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent went the same route as Rabanne by incorporating heavy layers. With so much going on, it can be hard to look at this outfit. However, I think the blazer is still the focal point of this outfit because of the shoulder pads. The bulkiness causes the eye to go to this part of the outfit.
The designer styled the shoulder pads with a slimmer base. The top underneath seems like a tank top, with a sliver of skin showing around the collar. This offers great balance around the shoulder pads. The ruffly skirt underneath continues the slim cut of the tank top, which doesn’t compete with the blazer on top. The massive gold earrings are a bold choice to pair with shoulder pads, as they build a lot of volume around the top of the outfit.
Balmain
Balmain takes shoulder pads to a different level with the wing look. The shoulder pads are structured on the outside of the outfit and flick upwards. It’s a bit much for everyday wear, so it likely won’t become mainstream.
A monochrome black look allows Balmain’s execution of shoulder pads to be the focal point of the outfit. The stylist adds a small pop of red with an earring, which causes attendees to notice the shoulder pads even more. This is a genius execution, as all the interesting parts of the outfit are in one place, making the outfit easier to look at.
Paris Fashion Week 2024 shows all-black outfits
There were an overwhelming number of black monochrome outfits in nearly every show this Paris Fashion Week. Black monochrome outfits are classic since they don’t contain trendy elements. As a result, they are timeless and typically defy trend cycles.
However, deeper tones are almost always worn more in the colder autumn and winter months. All-black outfits for spring and summer are not typical, as these seasons are for lighter, fresher colors. With all this luxury influence, will black monochrome become the summer color of 2025? I think it’s got a chance!
Balmain
Balmain styles its black monochrome ensemble in a striking, angular pantsuit. The winged-out shoulder pads (more on that later!) strike interest. A fun silhouette is crucial when executing an otherwise flat color palette.
The lengthened jacket blends into the pants, which morph into black shoes. This creates a lengthening effect — a huge bonus of monochrome palettes for those with shorter frames. Without a line of color to cause breaks in the outfit, the eye never stops moving, which makes the wearer look taller.
Courrèges
Though Courrèges styled their monochrome outfit with only three pieces, it’s not boring to look at. The high luster of the satin-looking dress supplies enough dimension that the look doesn’t fall flat. The flap pockets have a bit of a cargo effect, and, paired with the collar, there is quite a bit of texture.
The shoes have an odd, cylindrical shape that reflects the silhouette of the shift dress from above. Courreges chose to use minimal accessories for this look. The sleek black sunglasses add just enough to make sure that the look is still dramatic.
Yves Saint Laurent
Without much of a structured form, Saint Laurent’s outfit has the potential to become messy. The oversized leather jacket flows into a billowy black dress. The dress’s low cut gives depth that a high neckline would not provide. Black shoes and sunglasses tie in the monochromatic palette from head to foot.
Saint Laurent toes the line of monochromatic looks by adding a wooden beaded necklace. I still classify this as monochrome, as the clothing itself is all black. The added color with the necklace shows how you can accessorize monochrome outfits to make them pop. There are a lot of great style tips to be learned from observing designers’ runway shows!
Silver catches eyes on the Paris runway
With gold trending over silver for a bit now, silver has been patiently awaiting its return in the trend cycle. It’s been a few seasons since silver has been the trending metal. While gold wearers like myself aren’t anxiously awaiting the comeback, it’s time for cooler-toned jewelry lovers to have their moment.
Some gold outfits were sprinkled throughout the runway shows. However, silver outfits were significantly more popular than any other type of metallic color. Designers used silver in a variety of clothing, from long gowns to makeup and strips of silver in shorter dresses. The light-reflecting tone yielded eye-catching looks for this year’s Paris Fashion Week.
Rick Owens
Rick Owens uses a significant amount of metallic silver in his Paris Fashion Week show. The model pictured at the forefront is dressed in a beautifully textured, strapless gown. Multiple shades of silver are featured across the dress, with lighter silver as the base and darker gray on top. This infuses dimension throughout the outfit, which allows the monochrome palette to work.
Bicep-length gloves match the clutch in a lighter shade of silver. The gloves are made of a thicker material, which lends itself to a more interesting silhouette than if they were made of a thin material. It also produces a richer look than flimsy material would. The texture of varying fabrics and shades of silver is simply captivating!
L’Oréal Paris France
L’Oréal’s show featured a significant amount of silver. I chose this picture to feature because of the makeup. Frosty eyeshadow was a huge part of fashion in the early 2000s, and the resurgence of 2000s fashion might spark a similar comeback for this makeup trend. The silver line of face paint swirling down the model’s face opens the door for the trend to step back into the beauty world.
The silver streak matches the outfit’s silver sequin base. Small adornments in black, gray, and beige embellish the top. Though the top ornamentations aren’t sparkly, the sequins underneath give a disco-ball effect to this look. The twinkling foundation layered with the top parts paints such a striking composition!
Rabanne
Rabanne, similar to Rick Owens, chose to use metallic silver in their outfit over sequined silver. The metallic silver layers of the dress have a tinfoil effect that serves to catch the light. However, the material used has an almost glittery effect. Coupled with the sheer black of the chiffon-like material underneath, this flowy number is a beautiful execution of silver without being too loud.
The designer chose not to accessorize the look with jewelry. This means that the shoes need to pull their weight to complete a synchronized look, and the silver pointed-toe pumps do just that! In a matching silver tone, the shoes have a similar almost-glittery effect. While only two pieces are used in the outfit, the execution is wearable without being plain.
Sheer + layered clothing at Paris Fashion Week 2024
Runway designers produced a variety of outfits featuring sheer fabric with strategically placed sheer panels. These daring executions provide yet another possible summer trend, as thin and breezy fabrics offer comfort in the warmer months. Furthermore, the coverage placed underneath allows for a bit of modesty while still playing around with fun fabrics.
Most designers choose to use monochrome colors for such outfits. The panels underneath that provide coverage are the same color as the sheer lace or fabric placed overtop. If multiple colors were used, there would be too much contrast, and the outfits could look messy. The uniformity of one color allows the sheer fabric to be the focal point of the outfits.
Giambattista Valli
This white gown from Giambattista Valli is a beautiful execution of sheer overlay. The bra-like top part is a similar material to the skirt, which pulls the set together nicely. The sheer material on top features a white design throughout, and the design is assembled in a way near the neckline that makes it look like a necklace.
I can see this becoming a huge trend with prom dresses. It’s already been common for dresses to have sheer panels with cutouts on the sides or back, but not exactly like this Giambattista Valli dress. I can see the two-piece prom dress trend of the later 2010s coming back with this sheer twist.
Hermès
Hermès’ brown ensemble is accented by a gorgeous red belt that breaks up the brown monochrome look. The top and pants feature sheer details that flow with the material. The opaque, angular panel on the top fosters an interesting contrast with the organic flow of the pants. I can see mass-market designers adopting this model of two-piece sets with varying angles, as it is a fresh design.
Underneath the pants is a full coverage, high-waisted brief. Peeking into other shows, I noticed a few swim bottoms in this same cut. Hermès might be causing a resurgence of the modest cut of mid-20th-century swimwear! It makes sheer pants more wearable and might cause this translucent fabric to become mainstream in clothing.
Ann Demeulemeester
Ann Demeulemeester created a beautiful, wispy, white ensemble for Paris Fashion Week 2024. The barely-there top seemingly melts into the skirt, producing a beautiful drape. While some materials are as opaque as they need to be, the sheer fabric used adds a lovely dimension to the look. The tall white boots balance out the short length of the skirt perfectly and cultivate a stunning, well-rounded look.
While this brand’s use of sheer material is a bit less practical for everyday wear than the previous brands, it is still a top-notch execution. I can see elements such as the drapey, gauzy skirt trending in hotter months. This warm-weather piece is sure to pair well with silver jewelry and cherry red, another possible upcoming trend.
Bright red is the color of the season
Remember the chokehold pale yellow had on us this summer? Signs from Paris Fashion Week 2024 point towards bright cherry red being the “it” color next spring and summer. Designers like Balenciaga, Valentino, and Pierre Cardin used this color for pantsuits and dresses, creating a wall of vibrant, bold color within their looks.
Red is a rather basic color, so it is likely to become trendy, especially since it is so accessible to the mass market. Similar to monochrome black, red is typically associated with fall. However, these designers are using a specific shade of cherry red that is just bright enough to be appropriate for the warmer months.
Valentino
Valentino chose a flowy yet structured silhouette for this red look. The main feature is the long-sleeved, ballerina-length dress. With pearlized buttons cascading down one side, the piece is practical but still makes a statement. Valentino plays into the bow trend with matching red ribbons tied around the ankle. It seems as if these ribbons function as the ankle strap for the shoe, which is simultaneously a cute and practical touch.
The brand’s execution of this beautiful, fruity shade of red is a tad warmer than others. However, the specific tone of bright red is great for those with cooler skin tones and complexions, such as summer and winter color palettes. The blue undertoned red won’t clash with cool-toned skin and hair, unlike the warmer orangey red some brands use.
Magda Butrym
Paris Fashion Week 2024 attendees are seeing double at the Magda Butrym show. The designer chose to place two models in nearly identical outfits. Minor differences occur in the color of the gloves and small details on the dress. One model is placed in black gloves and a dress with flower accents, while the other model has a plain dress and red gloves that match.
Both dresses are slim-fitting looks in a warmer, orange-toned red. This warm tone suits those with warmer complexions, such as yellow-toned skin and golden hair. It’s great to see a variation in tones of red throughout the runway shows, as there is rarely a trend that is suitable for everyone.
Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney created a beautiful, tight red dress with small cutouts. The warm-toned red makes the model’s features pop, creating a show-stopping look. The outfit is not finished with any accessories, which works on the runway as it means there are no distractions to take away from the dress.
This Stella McCartney look could create another prom dress trend, similar to the sheer look from Giambattista Valli. The cutout on the bustline could be the next big thing hitting prom dress stores in the 2025 season. Who knows — maybe red will be the color everyone wears to prom next year, too!
From monochrome black to cherry red, sheer fabrics, and silver metallics, designers at Paris Fashion Week 2024 stepped out with major looks. These beautiful, head-turning designs are sure to land in mass-market stores in just a few months. If you like to stay ahead of trends, it might be time to start shopping around for pieces like these. See you next season!
