How Fashion Week can improve your everyday style?

I never really liked Fashion Week.

For a long time, I found that they were promoting a fashion that was inaccessible, elitist and disconnected from reality. As such, we easily find wacky and sometimes funny runway looks:

It's a creative approach that is respectable but which doesn't help us much to improve our style. And in my head, I thought that Fashion Week was just about looks like that, that I couldn't get much out of them. This may be your opinion too, and I understand you.

But over the past year or two, my opinion has slowly been changing . I see runway looks that interest me and challenge me.

During this Fashion Week period, I suggest that we see together what runway looks can actually bring to your everyday style.

Here are my tips for seeing Fashion Week in a different way.

1. You will have an open mind

First condition: put aside all your preconceptions.

Accept that you are going to see things that are unlikely and that you don't like while exploring Fashion Week silhouettes.

And even when it comes to interesting looks, not everything will necessarily be good to take.

Likewise, don't look at the prices . The majority of them are very high-end and luxury brands that are on show, which will not be in your budget. It doesn't matter because that's not the point. You are here to get inspired, get ideas and see what you can apply on your scale , with your clothes and your budget.

2. The good brands you will follow

At Fashion Week, it's like everywhere: there is food and drink.

Some brands have a very strong statement, with a majority of looks that are wearable in real life. Don't get hung up on it because there are also others with more accessible silhouettes. Instead, focus on the latter.

And because I like you, I've put together a little list of my own of brands whose catwalk looks I find interesting . I may have forgotten some, so feel free to make your suggestions in the comments if others come to mind.

In alphabetical order :

• Eagle
• FRIEND
• Auralee
• Andersson Bell
• Boglioli
• Brunello Cuccinelli
• Burberry
• Canali
• Dior
• Dries Van Noten
• Emporio Armani
• Fendi
• Giorgio Armani
• Isabel funny
• Isaiah
• Issey Miyake
• Lanvin
• The mayor
• Neil Barrett
• General Pharmacy
• Our Legacy
• Prada
• Sacai
• Todd Snyder
• Wooyoungmi
• Yohji Yamamoto
• Zegna
• Ziggy Chen

A few small comments came to me after establishing this list.

First of all, I thought it would be shorter than that. There are ultimately a lot of brands with nice style offerings.

Then, there are names that we don't necessarily expect : I'm thinking of Aigle for example, whose artistic direction was taken over in 2020 by the founders of Études and who started showing very recently. Fursac has also recently been on the schedule for Paris Fashion Week but is not showing and chooses to present its collection in a large fitted out showroom. Well, maybe you didn't know it, but Officine Générale has been showing at Paris Fashion Week for many years now.

I also put in a little note for Armani. I have always had a caricatured image of the brand, with a very ostentatious style. For me, Armani is looks with muscular Italians, visible muscles, and very fitted clothes. These silhouettes exist but it’s not just that. Far from it even. Take a look, for example, at this pretty shades of brown on the fall-winter 2024 fashion show:

Finally, one last piece of purely practical information: where can I find these parade photos?

You will find different sites but for my part, I advise you to look on Fashion Network, Vogue or WWD.

Some brand sites have a category with runway visuals like Our Legacy or Officine Générale for example.

3. The good style ideas you will take

With an open mind and a good list of brands, you're ready to get your dose of style inspiration.

Here are a few things to look out for in the looks you will see:

• Pieces that stand out from the crowd and could give you ideas for potential future purchases
• Combinations of pieces and colors that flatter the retina , to reproduce with the pieces in your wardrobe
• Well-worked volume sets , which can help you move towards certain types of cuts (for example going from fitted to straighter cuts)
• Original materials, textures or patterns that allow you to work on your stylistic sensitivity

Do you want examples ? Neither one nor two, your wish is granted:

Monochromes of gray

Michel showed you visuals of this Officine Générale fashion show in his article on monochrome . Here, a chic, urban and rather accessible look with lots of good things to take:

• the different shades of gray which harmonize with each other: the sweater a little lighter than the pants, itself a little lighter than the coat
• the speckling of the sweater which brings visual richness
• the fullness of the coat which corresponds to the fullness of the pants
• the way to wear the turtleneck, without rolling the collar precisely

You probably have several gray pieces in your fall/winter wardrobe: what if you tried to put them together?

A coat like no other

A spectacular coat from Andersson Bell , mixing houndstooth, chevron, canvas and leather. A lot of work has been done on the arrangement of the yokes: it is particularly successful.

This coat is wearable (or close to it) in my opinion. I really like the idea of ​​the paneled coat in any case. The rest of the outfit, however, inspires me less.

The right touch of color

An interesting and quite simple look with a white/grey/black base enhanced by a camel coat.

To note :

• The two shades of gray on the sweater and pants which contrast just right (light at the top, darker at the bottom)
• The round-neck t-shirt under the V-neck sweater
• The camel-colored coat , whose function is to enhance the outfit, and which is starting to come back after having disappeared a little in recent years

Chic workwear

Very beautiful textures from Ziggy Chen. These raw woolens do something to me. This shades of earth tones is very successful . Note: the overshirt with asymmetrical panels and the pants with relatively discreet checks. The ensemble is finished with a long, loose coat. Quite a look, which could almost be described as chic workwear . If this type of universe speaks to you, also look at Evan Kinori.

A bit of softness in this brutal world

Did you know Auralee? If not, look into it a little. It's a very beautiful Japanese brand full of sweetness. Here, a chic and nonchalant monochrome (visible trouser drawstring, soft materials and construction) perfectly executed . The materials are sublime and it shows. No coat this time but a large woolen overshirt placed over a blazer.

If you appreciate the casual chic style or better, soft tailoring , you are served. Occasionally, try a monochrome combination of light tones in winter (cream, ecru, taupe, putty, beige, camel).

Casual chic 101

I finish with a casual chic look, easy to reproduce , by Boglioli. At the bottom, very simple: fitted olive green chinos, black socks, moccasins and belt. Top: a blue striped shirt with a medium brown plaid blazer. The two patterns are not too close (a thin stripe and a large check) and therefore coexist well.

Small subtlety: the shirt has a Cuban collar which is worn turned up, and closed with a small button under the collar.

The final word

Developing your style means developing your eye by looking at and analyzing looks, preferably successful ones. And Fashion Week has things to offer , as I tried to show you with these relatively accessible looks that I hope will inspire you.

Now it's up to you to keep digging.

For my part, I remember that we see a lot of shades and monochromes on the runway looks, which speaks to me a lot because it's a personal obsession at the moment.