Chanel RTW Fall/Winter 2024

  Yesterday was bitter cold out - 43 degrees feels like 34 degrees + a chill wind.

The last Tuesday of Paris Fashion Week is always the Chanel Automne/Hiver show at 10:30 am

Agnés b. Hiver 2015

My doodles done in the dark at the Agnes b. show yesterday.

So exciting! I must have sent off 40+ email requests for show invites. Granted I should have done it 2 months ago...ahem. The show was held at Palais de Tokyo on Avenue President Wilson. They have a great snack bar here by the way.

Do not try to get into a show without your invitation (unless you're Kenya).
Do not leave your invitation on the kitchen table as we did yesterday and had to go back to get it!

Did I say Bear insisted on coming along. He's very fashion-minded you know.

A lot of the fashion goes on outside the actual show. People waiting anxiously to get in are dressed to the nines. Bear was smitten with the cat  girl.

Bear thinks I should grow my hair long.
No way Jose.

And wear a lot of pink rouge.
Are you kidding?

He says I should stop hiding in all-black and do some color blocking.
I wish...

Blue is IN he says.
OK, OK I read Bill Cunningham's blue story too.
Gimme a break.

Bear notes some attendees like to wear something of the designer as a sign of loyalty and devotion..
Next time Bear...

We both notice the very hairy, scruffy, badly dressed photographers get in vite, vite vite (fast) past the tough guards. The rest of us wait a good 30 minutes but it's worth it. If you have a priority invitation (with a gold star) you go in and wait inside. Not so much fun in our opinion.

At last we're in and climbing down to the cellar of the Palais de Tokyo.
Huh? I didn't expect this...

But real Champagne awaits in real glasses! 
Tres classe Agnes.

A graffiti light show entertains while we wait another 15-20. Agnes b. is a big supporter of the arts.

Bear is thrilled to be sitting in the second row.
I don't mention there are only 2 rows. Let him have his kicks.

Ta Da! But my iPad only gets blur in the dark. No problem capturing Sunday's Paris Marathon runners. But here I'm out of luck. Please see sketches above.

The gal in front is doing just fine with her iPhone 6...hmmm

After the 15 minute show designer Agnes comes out and takes a bow. Classic wearable clothes any woman would be happy to wear.
THANK YOU Agnes!
So kind of you to let me come to see a real show at Paris Fashion Week.

We climb back up past the madly graffitied walls.

I was going to head to SMACK, but the snack bar is closed so why not Tokyo Eat.

Soupe de potiron(squash) is perfect after all the anxiety and anticipation.
We were going to treat ourselves to some macarons but the waiter says they are not Pierre Herme macarons so we'll save our centimes for Jour du Macaron next week.
If you're not in Paris you can get some of my watercolor macarons on Etsy.
munch munch.

Grand Palais - Mugler, The Grand Rex - J-P Gaultier

Saturday morning I could not find the Fete du Miel at the Luxembourg gardens so I grab the #1 line over to Grand Palais to see what's doing. It's easy to spot the other faux 'pap'(paparazzi) on the train with their big cameras. Me with my lill' iPad.
At the Rochas show a real pap in black head-to-toe motions me out of the way so he can get his shot. I give him the 'Gallic shrug'.

He yells out,
"DID YOU GET THE PICTURE WITH YOUR IPAD!?"

I want to respond back,
"YOW! IPAD MINI BUSTER!" but I don't.
Instead I add a 'burst' app called Fast Camera soon so I can shoot faster, successively.
Hmph

At 12:30

The Mugler show is on.

I look for some looks. Nice. Anya Ziourova, Tatler Russia directrice in Balmain.

Love the two-toned air-brushed patent leather oxfords.

I'm wondering why everyone immediately crosses their ankles when asked for a shot?

Then I know why. This is Claire of cosmetic Clarins famille who bought Mugler when he sold out. Ahem.

I happen to be standing in a sort of crowd/line under a sign that says 'STANDING' and we are invited inside to watch the show!
 

Ta da. Effortless...OK with some shoving I'm inside standing, watching the show! I can't believe my good fortune. The looks are sleek, body-con(body conscious), austere with cutouts, metallic trim.

Just hints and references and 'une pale copie' to the wild, crazy Thierry Mugler in 90's. If you want to see how tame this show is watch the music video Mugler made for George Michael's Too Funky. FYI Mugler now designs Beyoncé's show wear.

The show lasts maybe a total of 10 minutes.

Brit designer David Koma pops his head out for 3 seconds of applause and disappears.

And then it's over and everyone is running off to the next show. They put out a guide to the times and locations but many big name: Dior, Balenciaga, Lanvin just list 'invitation' so you have no clue where they're held.

I do manage to catch a glimmer 'It Girl' of PFW(Paris Fashion Week), Giovanna Battaglia. She's tops on The Cut's best-dressed street people list. I go home to draw jam jars and then head out at 6:00 to see what's what at Jean-Paul Gaultier's grand finale tonight at 7. 

It's held at a classic old movie theatre, The Grand Rex in the 10th. There are at least 4 entrances each heavily guarded. No way are they gonna let us plebs in.

You have to be wearing or carrying your J-PG sash invitation.

Some design stars like Alber Elbaz of Lanvin doesn't need a sash to get in anywhere.

But Anna Della Russo is having a tough time till she's rescued by staff. Note her shorty black boots.

I would like to slug the guy on Suzy Menke's left who stepped on her toe. Pushy! I would like to tell Suzy to lose the scarf but I'll stick to reading her Fab columns in Vogue UK.

In case you don't know editor at large, Julia Sarr-Jamois she's a hot hot dresser, very cool and seen everywhere during PFW FYI.

They closed the doors on us plebs in the street but the show inside was Fabulous from what I read. I feel a bit like this warrior photographer at the Isabel Marant show at Palais de Tokyo. Daunted but not defeated.

Anyway I have my own flashy show waiting on my bridge. Not a bad ending to a terrific day as a faux pap right? For many more pictures on the shows, breakfast at Angelina, Givenchy's new book on AUDREY!! Puleeze head over to my INSTAGRAM.
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Just show up SVP PBers!!! 

Paris Fashion Week - Rochas

Yesterday I became a paparazzi

It's Fashion Week in Paris and the Rochas show was on

At Palais de Tokyo. French Girl says this is a good place to shoot.

A lost model gets directions.

Another model chills pre-show.

Ta da! The celebs show up.

Anna Della Russo of Vogue Nippon wearing I don't know who but evidently she doesn't leave the house in any outfits that total up to less than $50,000 according to the Daily Mail. During Fashion Week she changes several times a day.

With her gal pal W contributing editor, Giovanna Battaglia. Giovanna made No.1 on The Cut's top 25 best-dressed from PFW btw.

After the show they came out wearing different shoes. These hot tinseled slingback heels from the show worn with athletic socks. For more Rochas show details check The Cut.

Voila!

Who R U? The photographers race to shoot somebody. No clue who she is but I tag along. Some show up dolled up with no entry ticket just hoping the photogs will shoot em.

I do recognize the discrete back of NYTimes photographer, Bill Cunningham.

Post-show I spot US Vogue Grace Coddington in what looks black PJs. No doubt very comfortable with all the shows she clocks in per day. And no, Anna Wintour was not there but enough other biggies to warrant this is an important show. Getting tickets is not easy. And very slim chances for your everyday blogger. OK I have a snowball's chance of getting in. You write  PR months in advance and then pray. I'll try next time round but don't hold your breath.

Suzy Menkes whizzed by. I need some kind of speed/burst app for my lill ipad to get these.

Ex-fashion editor of the NYTimes, Cathy Horyn gets ready to take a swig of Evian post-show.

Vogue's Hamish Bowles is onboard (and holding a Diptyque notebook by the way - I saw those at Maison Objet).

I loved some of the shapes of the clothes.I have never seen so much style in one hour as I did watching the Rochas show arrivals. Great fun and terrifically inspiring. Perhaps even better than going inside?!

Every now and then a splash of red to liven up all the neutrals, solid blacks and navies.

Nefertiti tout en rouge makes an exit.

The hairdo of the hour is this tiny bun at the nape of the neck by this Russian stunner, Olga Karput with what appears to be not a stitch of makeup on. You tell me.

More librarian buns.Note very few of the so call de rigeur scarves are worn by this haute-stylish gang.

I'm calling this the "Charlotte Bronte/Jane Eyre" look. The stylists can call it what they want but the sleek, austere head is evident. I somewhat butchered a fabulous Tim Walker photo but this is how I feel. Exhilarated and a tad pooped, but SO much fun. Stay tuned PBers for more.
PS I had to cut out a lot of photos to publish this post sadly. More pics on Flickr!