Seven Trends from the Paris Fall Runways

The sartorial marathon otherwise known as Paris Fashion Week came to a close last week, and designers in the French capital managed to fill eight days with desirable fashion for the upcoming season. As per usual, the runway remained the place to single out Spring 2021 trends; some were a continuation of themes we’d seen before in New York, London and Milan, though several were unique to the City of Lights.

Before we wrap up our show coverage for the Spring 2021 season, let’s take a look at what you’ll be wearing from Paris six months down the line.

Bubble Hems

The satisfyingly flouncy bubble hem is back, only this time around its dressed down to go with a billowy dress or a simple knit from designers like Loewe, Patou and Altuzarra. Of course, there were ball-worthy iterations as well that wouldn’t look out of place at a socially distanced royal gathering (Ellery).

Colorful Stripes

A carryover from London, bold stripes were all over Paris. French designers imbued the lines with vibrant colors to make them feel fresh. Kenneth Ize showed silk knitwear with his signature rainbow stripes, while Gabriela Hearst showed bright orange vertical stripes.

Face Coverings

A number of designer in Paris showed full face coverings, which, thanks to the global pandemic, have become a fashion phenomenon. Some crafted shields that resembled bee keeping hats (Thom Browne and Kenzo), while others used bucket hats to keep frontal tulle veils in place (Victoria/Tomas). We’re not sure if these are completely pandemic-proof, so be sure to wear a traditional face mask if you’re going to try the trend next spring.

Netting

The netting we saw in London this season took inspiration from the ocean, but the netting in Paris had a more sporty feel — think soccer nets. Hermès offered up a slick leather net dress and Dries Van Noten created cool mesh-like net outwear.

Orange

From rust to sherbet to traffic cone, French designers had orange on their minds for spring. We spotted a blinding shade of the hue on gowns at Issey Miyake and at Ralph & Russo, and on more casual pieces at Acne Studios.

Suiting for the Stay-at-Home Era

Suiting in the French capital was tailored to the couch. From slouchy, linen separates at Altuzarra to a suit that could double as a hot yoga set at Coperni, office wear got the casual work-from-home treatment.

White Cotton Dresses

The runways in Paris confirmed that white dresses will be our uniform next summer. The go-with-everything (except wedding guest) option came in comfy cotton form at Cecilie Bahnsen, Ellery and Nehera.

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