Paris Fashion Week: Spanish Designer Juana Martín Pays Tribute to Andalusian Heritage at Paris Haute Couture Week

Spanish designer Juana Martín delivered a cultural statement at the Official Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week with the unveiling of Fervor, her seventh Couture collection. The show, staged on July 8th, paid homage to Martín’s Spanish roots, particularly the deep spiritual and cultural traditions of her native Andalusia.

This season, Martín drew inspiration from one of Andalusia’s most emblematic and emotive traditions — religious fervor. Interpreted as a collective act of faith and a deeply ingrained expression of identity, this theme was brought to life on the Parisian runway.

Audiences were transported into the heart of a solemn Holy Week procession through a presentation that blended devotion with bold artistry. Maintaining her signature black and white colour palette, Martín infused the collection with striking jewellery and unexpected couture materials. The designer's vision conjured vivid imagery of petal showers, sacred iconography, and candlelit processions — all key elements in the Andalusian Semana Santa tradition.

At the heart of the collection was ruán, a deep black fabric traditionally used in the garments of nazarenos — penitents clad in long robes and tall conical hoods. This textile served as the emotional and aesthetic foundation of the designs, complemented by references to the ornate adornments of Christs and Virgins featured in processions throughout the region.

With Fervor, Martín reinforced her groundbreaking role in fashion history as the only Spanish woman to have been granted membership to the prestigious Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. She follows in the footsteps of legendary designers Cristóbal Balenciaga and Paco Rabanne. Her achievements were further recognised this year with Spain’s Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts — a landmark moment for Spanish fashion.

The show was supported by a team of creative talents: Rafael Maqueda and Menchu Benítez led the artistic direction of hair and makeup, using premium products from ICON. Málaga de Moda once again lent its support to showcase Andalusian craftsmanship, while Cordoba-based healthcare company Plenitas reaffirmed its commitment to promoting regional talent. Footwear was provided by Italian designer Francesca Bellavita, known for her artisanal creations.

Juana Martín’s Fervor not only captivated the fashion elite in Paris but also reaffirmed the power of cultural heritage in contemporary couture. 

Photos Credit: Juana Martín / Totem Fashion

Men's Fashion: G-STAR and Walter Van Beirendonck unveil experimental capsule collection at Paris Fashion Week

Antwerp designer Walter Van Beirendonck's Spring-Summer 2025 collection, showcased at this month's Paris Fashion Week, features a distinctive collaboration with Amsterdam denim brand G-STAR, challenging traditional garment construction and denim design.

Held in the botanical garden of La Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris in Saint-Germain, located in the Sixth arrondissement of Paris, the show highlighted the designer's innovative denim experiments at the core of this partnership.

Titled "Denim with Balls," the designer was given complete carte blanche to explore unconventional garment manufacturing techniques, utilising minimal stitching and unique methods with glue and tapes.

This 19-piece limited-edition collection boasts bold styles like the Square Jeans, Wader Jeans, Embossed Pamflet Jeans, and Future Proof Jacket, characterized by embossed dots, taped seams, and exaggerated details.

All denim pieces are crafted from certified Cradle to Cradle fabric. The range also includes 3D-knitted tops and sweaters adorned with Van Beirendonck's slogans "Future Proof," "Wow," and "Stitch Less."

The embossed dots throughout the collection embody the playful "Denim with Balls" concept.

Walter Van Beirendonck

Explained the visionary designer: "I aimed to challenge and reimagine traditional methods.  Why are clothes still being stitched when we have the potential to explore so many other techniques?" This project is all about innovation, research and pushing the conventions of fashion.  It was great to be given total creative freedom by G-STAR."

Gwenda van Vliet, CMO at G-STAR** said, "Van Beirendonck is one of the most important fashion designers of our times.  His unique vision, playfulness and extreme creative mind are why we decided to work with him.  'Denim with Balls' is a testament to our shared vision of challenging norms and redefining what denim can be."

The unisex Denim with Balls capsule collection will be available in selected stores worldwide in February 2025.

All photos, courtesy of G-STAR x Walter Van Beirendonck, by Dominique MAITRE

** G-Star recently introduced its latest denim innovation, "Homegrown Denim," developed through a pioneering collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and Dutch Cotton. Funded by G-Star, this experiment investigated the potential of greenhouse-grown cotton to significantly reduce the environmental impact of global cotton cultivation, aiming to benefit the entire industry.

The research was driven by the need to meet the rapidly growing global demand for responsible cotton. Cotton is relatively easy to grow but requires substantial agricultural space and up to 10,000 liters of water per kilogram, depending on a specific warm climate, making cotton cultivation the beginning of a lengthy and complex supply chain.

“G-Star’s curiosity and drive for innovation led us to our partnership with Wageningen University & Research to study the feasibility of growing cotton in a greenhouse. This groundbreaking experiment could revolutionize cotton cultivation by drastically reducing water consumption and land use, eliminating the use of chemical pesticides, improving cotton quality, and significantly shortening the supply chain,” said Rebecka Sancho, Head of Sustainability at G-Star.

The six-month experiment, conducted at a research facility in Bleiswijk, Netherlands, examined the quality, yield, and fiber properties of greenhouse-grown cotton, comparing its environmental footprint to traditional methods. Strategies like precision irrigation and renewable energy were explored to reduce impact, alongside an analysis of economic viability and market potential.

The research resulted in the first Dutch greenhouse-grown cotton. The findings revealed that growing cotton in a greenhouse provides a controlled and protected environment that enhances crop productivity, quality, and sustainability, while reducing the risks associated with outdoor cultivation.

Menswear: Walter Van Beirendonck 's DAWLEETOO the Legendary Lost City collection

Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck's SS24 DAWLEETOO collection delved into his discovery of memories, history and art, that have filled his research notebook with drawings, collages and pictorial images, blurring the boundary between real and surreal, presented during Men’s Paris Fashion Week. 

The designer had taken inspiration from DAWLEETOO -  the Legendary Lost City - turning to AI to explore the boundaries of reality at the edge of the Sumatran jungles, 

“I love to research. That’s how I always start,” said Walter Van Beirendonck.

The designer juxtaposed between hard and soft materials, Playing with voluminous versus body-skimming silhouettes. Protection versus transparency. Monochromatic versus bi-colours: red/white, black/yellow, a shot of lime green and multi-colours even.

Note the oversized see-through blazers, vinyl raincoats, and bomber jackets with over-padded shoulders covering soft garments worn underneath. 

There are also large ruffles and other funky shapes to bemuse the audience.  A delightfully fun collection that challenges the consumer of today.

Photos courtesy of Walter Van Beirendonck.

Ukranian designers showcase AW23 collections at Paris Fashion Week - March 3 - 7 2023

 Seven Ukrainian designers are showcasing their Autumn Winter 2023 collections during Paris Fashion Week from March 3rd to the 7th in the first arrondissement located at 7 Rue d’Argenteuil. 

Left to right: My Sleeping Gypsy; FROLOV;  Olena Dats’;  Chereshnivska; Kachorovska;  Katerina Kvit; and Paskal

This season designers are supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine.  All the brands have the same goal which is to increase their global visibility and maximise sales to foreign markets, proving that despite the war in their country they have much to offer to the fashion world.

Left to Right: FROLOV;  Kachorovska; My Sleeping Gypsy and Chereshnivska

It will showcase also the inspiring voyage for the Ukrainian fashion brands. After the most challenging year in these designers' lives and stories surfacing daily of their struggling journeys from 2022 these strong Ukrainian entrepreneurs find themselves still fighting to keep their businesses alive. 

They continue to create handmade collections under constant air raid sirens, move ateliers to bomb shelters, factories having to shift production to produce clothing items for Ukraine’s military, or construct under recurring blackouts. 

The seven designers in this season’s project aim to lead Ukrainian’s fashion industry scene in France that will include showcasing of demi-Couture, ready-to-wear, and footwear creations that will target a wide range of women to their collections. With love and sustainability, Ukraine - against all the odds - makes its second journey to Paris Fashion Week with a week-long showroom to introduce its latest manifesto to all the fashion industry professionals. 

Returning brands this season include FROLOV a couture-to-wear brand "that combines flawlessness and comfort, intelligence and provocation, social responsibility and serenity" and is recently known for the Firework minidress designed especially for Beyoncé and written about in many of the top media outlets around the globe. Kachorovska, the largest Ukrainian footwear success that ensures any woman will stand out and be desired in all her styles, with reverence and quality. My Sleeping Gypsy, a completely sustainable brand loved by all whose aim is to create wearable objects of art and embrace Ukrainian traditional roots, which go beyond fashion with a strong cultural value. Plus, last season’s grantee Chereshnivska a Ukraine-based unisex and completely sustainable brand that features unique hand-drawn prints utilising recycled materials which makes this season quite a stunning reference to all the talent lying in the capital city of Kyiv.

Left to right: Katerina Kvit;  Paskal and Olena Dats’

The other three designers are Katerina Kvit whose collection is features a minimalistic approach to design using luxury materials as well tailoring standards to create sophisticated silhouettes. Paskal presents a playful mood mastering shapes, lines, and structure, while Olena Dats’ another Prêt-à-Porter de Lux is distinguished by the most complex techniques of processing and decoration, launching Augmented Reality clothing in her studio while Ukraine is in conflict.

The project is again curated by Jen Sidary who has been working with Ukraine’s fashion industry since 2020, before the war, and implemented the idea to showcase the talented country's fashion industry at fashion weeks in September 2021. Ms. Sidary also launched a global ecommerce website ANGELFORFASHION.com built for Ukrainian designers in April 2022 supporting 30 plus brands to ensure they survive the war on their country. 

This is the fifth time USAID Competitive Economy Program has supported this project and its second season in Paris. This year USAID CEP in Ukraine provided opportunities to the Ukrainian fashion brands to showcase their collections within Paris Fashion week with the grant to the West Ukrainian Fashion Industry Cluster.

Images courtesy of ANGELFORFASHION.COM, the e-Commerce website representing 33 Ukrainian fashion designers and brands. The online platform achieved instant success receiving multiple sales in every product category and attracting visitors from over 175 countries around the world. 

LONDON show ROOMS partners with TRANOÏ for its return to Paris Men's Fashion Week

LONDON show ROOMS is collaborating with Paris Fashion Week trade show partner TRANOÏ MEN (the fashion forward trade salon much favoured by international buyers and editors) for its return to Paris Fashion Week in January 2023, reports the British Fashion Council.  

The showroom will run from Thursday 19th – Sunday 22nd January, hosting 17 menswear designers at the iconic Garage Amelot in the Marais district, in Paris.

The partnership between LONDON show ROOMS and TRANOÏ MEN allows emerging British designers the opportunity to showcase their brands to a leading audience of international press and buyers. 

Designers taking part in LONDON show ROOMS this season are:

ABIGAIL AJOBI | ADAM JONES | ANDREJ GRONAU | CARLOTA BARRERA

CHARLIE CONSTANTINOU | CHLOE NARDIN | DERRICK | FLORIAN WOWRETZKO

HELEN KIRKUM | HOUSE OF JAFFA | JEKEUN | LAUGESEN | LOCI | LULA LAORA

LYPH | MILES GEORGE DANIEL | TORON

Since 2008, the BFC’s LONDON show ROOMS has provided a unique opportunity for British designers to promote themselves outside of London in a pop-up showroom that sits as part of the BFC's support and mentoring scheme.

In an interview with FashionNetwork.com, BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said, "We are so proud of the creative talent that London is known for and to be able to bolster fresh perspectives and promote sustainable British designers in an overseas showroom environment. 

"The pop-up showroom is a strategic element of the BFC’s support and mentoring scheme. Selling in a showroom environment is a unique opportunity for buyers and designers to meet in person and this personal exchange is truly what sets our showrooms apart. It is a brilliant occasion for designers to network with buyers and provides invaluable exposure to industry insiders, who have previously seized the occasion to headhunt promising designers. Further, designers can promote their brand identity and integrate personalised feedback from professionals, which then inform both their future artistic and commercial decisions."

Access to TRANOÏ MEN is exclusively reserved to buyers, press and fashion industry professionals.  To register for accreditation, click HERE. 

Mrs Keepa SS 2022 collection shown during Paris Fashion Week

The Dubai-based brand Mrs. Keepa was invited to be a part of the Féderation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode “Welcome to Paris” initiative with the Arab Fashion Council to present its Spring/Summer 2022 collection during Paris Fashion Week this season.  

The ready-to-wear brand, co founded by French Egyptian designer Mariam Yeya and husband Bassel Komaty who goes by KEEPA, is inspired by a patchwork of evolving identities and the designer’s own dual heritage, half-Egyptian half-French designer - using fashion to explore and combine contrasting and overlapping cultures.

For their Spring / Summer 2022 collection under the title “Harmonious Chaos”, presented at the YoYo Club (Palais de Tokyo) in Paris, there were integrated languid shapes, playful proportions and opulent colours. The collection proposes a wardrobe charting the intersection of dualities. 

Mrs. Keepa infuses a contemporary-cool Spring/Summer 2022 wardrobe with evening-ready drama and easy wearing basics with edgy detailing.

Think cut-out and strappy maxi skirts, wide-leg camouflage cargo pants and larger-than-life sleeves. 

Rooted in its creative director’s fondness for a timeless appeal of diva-esque glamour, these are cuts for the women who like to make an entrance.

Ziad Nakad COUTURE Autumn/Winter 2021/22 Collection

Renaissance is the title of ZIAD NAKAD COUTURE's Autumn WINTER 2021 2022 COLLECTION.

As a designer passionate about architecture, Ziad Nakad's Autumn/Winter 2021/22 couture collection in all its finery and extravagance was inspired by the famous Château de Chambord of the 16th century in the Loire region of France and its glamorous grounds and interiors, including its open double spiral staircase.

The collection is tinted with pastel colors, and elaborate hand-embroidered details administered in the designer's atelier in Beirut.

Note the silhouettes of a column, the architectural fitted dresses, and the lightness of impeccable pleats and flowing flounces.

Then come the sexy and airy fluid dresses, in shimmering colors: purple, yellow, blue, a tribute to the historic tapestries and paintings of the castle. 

The majestic, hand-embroidered wedding gown closes this dream collection.

Photos by Greg Alexander © Méphistophélès Productions

Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Digital - Najib Alioua's Orient Express for Autumn/Winter 2021/2022

Najib Alioua invites us to board the Orient Express for his Autumn/Winter 2021-2022 Couture collection. 

Against a luxurious, refined, chic and elegant setting, the collection is equally enchanting, featuring Calais Solstiss lace and hand-embroidered details.  

Note the corolla sleeves in the shape of a robust flower, along with other fine textiles such as cotton velvet and tweed, giving vitality to dresses in trapeze shapes, as well as a long coat worn over shorts, and pantsuits. Najib's attention to detail and structure was perfectly matched and executed in his workshops in  Marseille.

The key word is cross-breeding, says the designer. A mix of cultures and inspiration like an invitation to travel. Najib Alioua pays tribute to his wife, a woman of the world, seeking quality and originality, preferring comfort to ostentatious.

To view the collection on video (by Méphistophélès Productions), click HERE.

Images by Greg Alexander © Méphistophélès Productions

Rest in Peace Monsieur Alber Elbaz who has died at age 59.

It was sad and shocking to learn of the death of designer Alber Elbaz who passed away after losing his battle to Covid-19, in Paris at the age of 59.  Alber had only recently launched his own label, AZ Factory, in collaboration with Swiss-based luxury group Richemont, which was unveiled during the virtual Paris Fashion Week early this year.  The Moroccan-born, Paris-based, Israeli designer whose immense talent will be sorely missed had served at the helm of Guy Laroche and YSL Rive Gauge in the 1990s before heading as creative director at the house of Lanvin from 2001 to 2015.  May you rest in peace Monsieur Elbaz.

MOOHONG SS 2020 collection interplays between femininity and masculinity.

The MOOHONG Spring/Summer 2020 collection by Seoul designer Moohong Kim shown this week in Paris shines a light on his knack for tailoring – classic menswear tailoring even, developing from a study in structural form versus deconstruction possibilities and explore a range of possibilities in asymmetrical cuts. 

Although the collection has been described as an “inter-subjective experiment to create an ideological project which incorporates fashion as a means of artistic and social expression”, it is a very wearable range inter-playing the contrast between femininity and masculinity.  

Using  multiple shapes, the collection is built on a layering and transformative format, which answers very well to today’s consumers’  affinity with personalisation and individualism. 

Moohong uses classic menswear fabrics such as wool for his oversized jackets and exaggerated pin-striped suits and tailored separates, along with cotton shirts and silks, accented with folds, drapery and asymmetry.