Paris Fashion Week Roundup: Stella McCartney, Dries Van Noten, Zomer & More

The sun is out in Paris this week, and fashion is in the air. The who’s-who of the fashion world (and beyond) descended upon Paris to be part of the action of Paris Fashion Week and to feast eyes on the autumn-winter 2025 ready-to-wear collections. This year, 72 shows and 37 presentations are being featured. Perhaps the most buzzed-about moment from this week was Sarah Burton’s debut for Givenchy on Friday, which was met with praise and enthusiasm. 

Fashion week is an exciting – albeit chaotic – time to be in Paris, as you may witness show-goers sprinting from show to show, eager to catch each designer’s latest collection. Paris Fashion Week runs from March 3 to March 11, and in that week-plus time frame, some of the heaviest hitters in the fashion world take to the City of Light to make their mark and leave people talking about the latest collection. 

Here are a few of this week’s showings that stood out to this fashionista. 

Stella McCartney

It was a star-studded, A-list affair at the Stella McCartney show on Wednesday. The British designer, known for her sustainable and eco-conscious luxury fashion, welcomed fellow fashion titans to her show, including Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, designer Tom Ford, supermodel Kate Moss, and many more. Hollywood and fashion go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it was no surprise to see Hollywood stars like Cameron Diaz and Richard Grant appear at the show, too. Rapper Ice Spice also had a front-row seat for the show, alongside Moss and Diaz.  

The expression “fashionably late” isn’t just a saying – in fashion, it’s true, and it’s not uncommon for shows to begin well past their start time. The Stella McCartney show didn’t begin until over 40 minutes past its stated 4pm start time, but most attendees were too excited by all the star wattage to notice. Even France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, was in attendance. Macron and Wintour took a moment to pose for a photo together before the start of the show.  

As the show began, models walked the makeshift runway – an office space in the 17th arrondissement – wearing chic overcoats, blazers, sweaters, and sparkling dresses. Accessories like bags and faux leather over-the-knee boots stood out, too, as McCartney relied on a very autumn-appropriate color palette of many grays, blacks, and tans. Pops of color like ballet pink and lipstick red were seen here and there. Structured ensembles with 1980s vibes ruled this runway, and a pretend newspaper created for the show, The Stella Times, alluded to 1980s inspirations, like the film Working Girl. The paper also highlighted the mistreatment of animals for fashion. Bodysuits and giant faux fur jackets offered a sense of glitz and glam amid the suiting, and it’s safe to say that the collection, which featured 46 looks, was a veritable – and very well-attended – success. 

Dries Van Noten 

Many designers use the idea of place as inspiration for a collection and Belgian designer Dries Van Noten (who has an eponymous label) is no different. The latest Dries Van Noten collection was inspired by the Opéra Garnier in Paris, where the show was held. At the designer’s showroom featuring the runway collection, a brand representative explained to me how the show’s location was selected before the collection was created. 

The opera setting inspired the designer to heavily incorporate opera elements into the collection. As a result, it featured dramatic, opera and ballet-worthy jewels on jackets, sweeping silk dresses, colorful accessories, and a dress made entirely of tassels reminiscent of those seen on the curtain at the opera.

Zomer

The Zomer show winked at everyone from the start with a cheeky and amusing opening to the show: the show began backward. All the models came out together in the same way that they do at the end of the show, but this was the beginning. As they walked, a recording of applause played, and show attendees looked at each other, confused and amused. Then, the real show began, and models showcased the brand’s 41 looks for this season. 

Of note, was the mixing of high and low fashion; there were sequined skirts paired with athletic jackets and tennis shoes. There were baseball caps on the runway, too. And backward jackets and blouses added a sense of surprise and fun. Long leather jackets and full-coverage dresses added a dose of modesty to an often-immodest industry. The talk of the show, though – apart from its unusual start – was the look that included a lampshade worn as a hat. 

CFCL

The CFCL brand (an acronym for Clothing for Contemporary Life) lived up to its name with its latest collection which featured wearable looks for everyday life. Held in the 4th arrondissement right next to Centre Pompidou on the first night of fashion week, the CFCL was a well-attended affair as a long queue snaked around the Stravinsky Fountain waiting to be let into the venue. CFCL’s collection featured roomy and billowy silhouettes, and fun pops of color. The color palette for this season included many blacks and reds, cobalt blues, olives, and blacks.

The company, founded in 2020, creates sophisticated knitwear in evergreen styles. Cozy sweaters featured on the runway nearly tempted me to wish for winter again – but not quite. The brand is also sustainability-minded and uses recycled materials.  

Marie Adam-Leenaerdt 

Age diversity is always a welcome sight on a runway, as the fashion industry historically favors youth. At the Marie Adam-Leenaerdt show, I was delighted to see models of all ages wearing the designer’s clothes. The Belgian designer’s latest looks for the autumn season featured witchy and magical items like capes, and billowing silhouettes, along with many grays and tans. The featuring of leopard print looks affirmed that the leopard print trend – which has seen a resurgence in recent years –isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.  

Matières Fécales

A last-minute two-show debut held just an hour apart, from Parisian brand Matières Fécales was met with large crowds and a visit from the legendary and eccentric designer Rick Owens. Owens’s presence at the show signaled a certain level of clout and importance for the debut by the label’s designers, Hannah Rose and Steven Raj.

Models walked the halls at Hotel le Marois in the 8th arrondissement with face paint, shaved heads, and feathered contraptions. Elements of the show which stood out included slicked-back “wet” hair, age diversity of models, and punk-meets-theater kid weirdness. The show’s tone was drama with a capital “D,” and included theatrical elements fit for the opera or the underworld. Rose and Raj’s debut collection was greeted with thunderous applause, and the audience members – many of whom were in goth attire befitting of the show’s theme – reveled in the collection.