Some brands did lean into the idea of fashion as escapism (Loewe’s show was filled with playful, surreal designs such as a duo of trapeze dresses that flowed into the shape of a car). And at the bigger shows, the usual celebrities still caused a scene (Rihanna’s attendance at Dior had crowds outside screaming and guests inside craning their necks). But in this mixed bag of responses, several houses found subtle ways to acknowledge the unfolding crisis.
At the end of the Nanushka presentation, for example, three models stood on a pedestal with their eyes closed revealing blue and yellow eye makeup while a string quartet played the Ukrainian national anthem.
The brand, spearheaded by Hungarian designer Sandra Sandor, also released a statement detailing various charitable endeavors, including donating revenue from its e-commerce sales to the launch of projects the brand said will offer support to Ukrainians. A spokesperson for the label also confirmed that it has temporarily stopped sales in Russia.
Other signs of solidarity with Ukraine were more subtle.
Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen, who, in a huge moment for any designer, made her debut at Paris Fashion Week this season, orchestrated a moment of pause at the end of her show. Models stood shoulder to shoulder in what the designer called a “quiet moment of togetherness,” during a brief interview backstage.
Later in the week, Stella McCartney — daughter of Paul McCartney — closed her show to the music of John Lennon’s anti-war song “Give Peace a Chance,” and the last look at Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton show featured an oversized polo in blue and yellow stripes. He dedicated the show to young people who inspire, “idealism, hope for the future, for a better world.”
Petar Petrov, a Vienna-based designer who was born in Ukraine (he left at a young age, moving to Bulgaria with his family) was also in Paris to present his latest collection. Speaking the day after he unveiled his new garments via a short video, he chose his words carefully when reflecting on the industry’s response. “We’re not politicians,” he said, saying there’s only so much that fashion designers, particularly the smaller, independent houses like his, can do to help. His company announced it would donate 10% of profits from online orders to the UN Refugee Agency and Caritas.
Quiet moments stood out
Of the shows that didn’t make any obvious gestures, the quieter, more thoughtful collection unveilings stood out and felt better aligned with the overarching mood.
Petrov’s new collection was filled with beautifully crafted wardrobe staples made for women looking to buy pieces they can wear for years to come, regardless of shifting trends. He told CNN he had spoken to friends of the brand who said, “we are real women, we know who we are and we need products that we love and that we want to wear more than once.” This approach is a more “quiet way of dressing,” he said, but “it’s also more relevant.” He believes people became accustomed to comfortable clothing during the pandemic and now they don’t want to compromise on this comfort, even when dressing up and wearing more high fashion pieces.
At Chloé, Uruguayan creative director Gabriela Hearst, one of fashion’s most dedicated climate activists, presented her collection in a large greenhouse-like structure. An enormous light set up outside shone down on the space, like the sun, possibly in reference to global warming. The collection was a display of earthy tones — black, browns, reds and citrus shades. And in what is becoming a signature move, the brand released a fact sheet detailing information about where materials are sourced from and how its products are created. This season, for example, 56% of the collection was made using what they call “lower impact materials” including recycled cashmere.
Summing up the week, Toledano said he believed the brands took a respectful approach. It was not the “festive” atmosphere he had worried about on the eve of fashion week.
When asked about fashion’s place in a world filled with conflict and crisis, Toledano said that the industry is filled with “sensitive people,” starting with the designers, who feel things deeply.
One such designer is Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino’s lauded creative head who presented a simple yet radical idea — an all-pink collection, focused on silhouettes above all else finding “expressive possibilities in the apparent lack of possibilities,” according to show notes.
Before the models stepped out onto the pink runway, Piccioli’s voice filled the room as he read a statement to the audience. “It was a hard week, it is a hard moment. We reacted the only way we know — by working. We reacted by not feeling paralyzed by war, trying to remember that the privilege of our freedom is now bigger than ever. Our thoughts go to those who are suffering, we see you, we feel you, we love you.” He concluded his remarks by saying “love is the answer, always.”