Rise of the Runway

By Abigail Ryan

Hello again, fashion week! We sure missed you. Twice a year, the art of fashion electrifies the great cities of New York, Milan, and Paris for three weeks, as the most prominent designers in the game share their most creative—and, may we add, sometimes unusual—runway shows.

In honor of the summer season, we remember one of the absolute best times of year—fashion week. Take a peek at some of our favorite Spring/Summer 2019 runway shows from around the world and what made them so special.

Balmain

It’s time to salute fashion designer and creative director Olivier Rousteing and his “Balmain Army” of models! Rousteing’s SS19 collection was a mixture of metallics, denim, knitwear, and asymmetrical cuts as he paid tribute to the city where magic happens: Paris. “It’s Paris meets Egypt,” said Rousteing before the show. And while Rousteing’s collection was heavily influenced by Egyptian culture, among his collection you could always find the key factors of the brand—especially the assertive Balmain broad shoulders. Get ready to put on your Balmain armor and join the army!

Celine

The winds of change blew chills through the room as Celine’s SS19 collection marked creative director Hedi Slimane’s first presentation for the brand. New to the Celine team but no stranger to the fashion industry, photographer and designer Slimane paid respects to the Parisian nightlife of the 1980s in his runway show. The designer included many of his signature pieces—which might remind audiences of his stints designing for Dior Homme and Yves Saint Laurent—including sequined mini dresses paired with ankle boots for the ladies and slim-fit tailoring for the fellas.

Chanel

Kick off your shoes, literally, and relax as the late Karl Lagerfeld welcomes us to the beach in one of his last collections for the brand. If you’re planning a luxurious trip to a tropical locale soon, head over to Chanel and stock up on everything from casual daytime attire to swimwear to evening cocktail-wear paired with loads of accessories positively perfect for island life. Don’t worry—there’s a lifeguard on duty if this collection takes your breath away!

Gucci

Since joining Gucci as creative director in 2015, Alessandro Michele has elevated the Italian household name among a younger demographic, bringing the past to the present. For its SS19 fashion show, Gucci took a break from Milan Fashion Week and hosted the first runway show at Paris’s famous Théâtre Le Palace nightclub. This show was the last of a three-part tribute to Paris, after Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2018 and Cruise 2019 collections. The show opened up with a short film followed by a sea of models covered in glitter and fringe (not to mention quirky pieces featuring Mickey Mouse and Dolly Parton). Midway through the show, the models came to a halt as musical legend Jane Birkin rose from the front row to serenade attendees with her song “Baby alone in Babylone.” Quelle surprise!

Louis Vuitton

Ah, the Louvre! One of Paris’s most iconic destinations played host to Louis Vuitton’s SS19 runway presentation last fall, and we’re willing to bet even the Mona Lisa was eyeing some of those delicious looks for her wardrobe. Despite the history of the venue, designer Nicolas Ghesquière’s collection catapulted audiences into the nebulous future. Prints that suggested faraway planets and yet-to-be-realized technology mixed with 1980s silhouettes to create an excellent blend of nostalgia and excitement for what’s to come.

Marc Jacobs

Okay, it’s time to spill the tea. Rumor has it the reason Marc Jacobs’s SS19 show started ninety minutes late was due to a trunk of clothes being stuck in traffic. But what was the real story? We’ll never know. The drama certainly built suspense while also causing some restlessness among the show’s attendees. Eventually, though, that drama transferred from the delay to the astonishing collection when the models finally hit the runway covered in bold color, ruffles, and lots of feathers. Needless to say, it was well worth the wait!

Oscar de la Renta

Spring was in the air at Oscar de la Renta’s SS19 presentation, and we are here for it! Since joining Oscar de la Renta in 2016, creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia have transformed the traditional, modest brand into a sexy, contemporary household name. Their celebrity clientele even includes Nicki Minaj and Sofia Richie. Full of ready-to-wear red-carpet looks, this collection had sex appeal with high slits, low V-necks, fringe, feathers, flowers, and much more.

Off-White

Following his recent collaboration with Serena Williams and Nike for the tennis pro’s matches at the U.S. Open, Off-White’s Virgil Abloh showed sports-inspired looks for his SS19 collection, which was appropriately titled Track and Field. I might add that if trophies were given out in the game of fashion, Abloh’s collection would earn one. With this collection, the designer seemed to hit the target dead center, debuting pieces that maintained the brand’s signature streetwear vibes but also were cohesive to the high-end couture quality you’d expect to see at fashion week.

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To learn more about our favorite looks for the upcoming Fall/Winter 2019 season, check out our La Muse blog at VIEmagazine.com!