Paris Fashion Week: Loewe, Off-White, Uma Wang and Manish Arora do girly in new ways for spring/summer 2019

TWO MOST SURPRISING MOMENTS

1. Off-White is finally doing athleisure for sport's sake, not just fashion's. The designer casted eight athletes from around the world as models to walk alongside the likes of Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid, who opened the show. Athletes were also on the bleacher seats around the race track set - an irony because the show ran almost an hour late, presumably because of the commotion around their presence.
2. Security wasn't fooling around at UNESCO, where the Loewe show was held first thing in the morning. Airport-style checks were conducted, with metal detectors and baggage screening for those with bags, causing a massive human traffic at the door.

FOUR TRENDIEST ACCESSORIES

1. So very torn between all the handsome new bags at Loewe, we can't possibly choose just one. Of the lot, the crystal encrusted wicker basket, the flirty feathered shoppers and giant rattan sling totes were most outstanding.
2. Dior isn't the only show bringing the ballet back to centre stage. Virgil Abloh, inspired by Serena Williams' passion for the dance (they've been working closely together in their collaboration with Nike) put out blossoming tutu skirts (dipped dyed in neon, of course) and ballet pumps the Off-White way - with tags and drawstring fastening.
3. It's not quite the same thing, but we can already see the street style set taking a page out of Manish Arora's youthful bracelet stack of beads and bobs by throwing back to their actual youth - with candy bracelets, a '90s treat begging for a comeback. What else are we going to snack on when our blood sugar is low on-the-go?
4. Remember those goggles from the early 20th century pilots used to wear? They had full coverage on the sides of the face to protect the eyes from wind, sand and other elements during open air flights. Well, Uma Wang is bringing them back, her version slightly stripped down for a lighter, more modern aesthetic.

SEVEN FAVOURITE LOOKS

1. Loewe look #30: Never expect JW Anderson to cut a basic pattern, whether it's a three-button jacket or a polo T-shirt he's designing. In this case, it's a shift dress. Words can hardly do justice the complexity of the construction, but we'll say his fabric choice here is astute; satin catches every intentional nip and tuck and emphasizes every inch of movement the wearer makes.
2. Loewe look #52: 'Rich' is not vocabulary commonly associated with eyelet. Still, Loewe manages to inject surprise into a typical summery treatment using its power of layering. At least two eyelet designs are fused here, all sweetness thrown off the rails with the OTT leather collar and earrings. Now that's top notch styling.
3. Off-White look #3: This is no ordinary "sweater" Kaia Gerber is sporting. Lean in. Open your eyes. The body of the piece is constructed of Nike socks, mirrored, upside down, framing what looks to be a white shirt dress underneath. Bonus points for the asymmetrical hem cut high to reveal toned gams. We'll see you at the gym.
4. Off-White look #19: While we're all for the #freethenipple movement, this layered tulle dress (reminiscent of Virgil Abloh's creation for Serena Williams which she wore in "retaliation" for unfair dress code rules during the recent US Open) fascinating with its half bodice half T-shirt top would have lost points in the know-how department should it have failed in keeping in the girls.
5. Manish Arora look #16: Manish Arora's show notes didn't lie. It read, "Prepare yourself for the customary blast of colour and joy" in reference to the label's spring/summer 2019 collection. Ergo, would you believe us if we told you look #16 is indeed one of the tamer options he had to offer? While we welcome Arora's signature circle print from his first Paris collection, we're also grateful for his collaboration with Paris Saint-Germain football club for the sweatshirts in hot pink foil nylon and handsome athlete's faces cheekily embroidered on the (what else) football minaudière.
6. Manish Arora look #23: Few designers have adapted the leopard print, typically a trend reserved for fall, for the spring season, but we're glad Manish Arora has. His is stenciled and doused in as much neon as it is in sex appeal. While most of the animal renditions see hemlines skimming the upper thighs, we're more inclined to ship the A-line skirt, especially when it so highlights the mix material patchwork booties. Super cute.
7. Uma Wang look #29: Prints came hot and heavy in other shows, but Uma Wang chose fabric treatments instead, to bring about interest in her feminine flowy pieces. Her tiered copper shirt dress received a painterly finish, with an appearance of a DIY home improvement job gone wrong. Except the look is so right.

All coverage from Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2019.