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“Our Paris Fashion Week technically began on day four, pants-less in the back of a private car,” rattles off editor Laura Reilly. In tandem with friend and stylist Alexis Badiyi, the duo navigated the pandemonium that is Paris Fashion Week. Between running (oftentimes literally) from show to show (tears were shed at the tribute to Issey Miyake), they squeezed in a few in-car outfit changes, lavish dinners, and much-needed catch-ups with industry friends. Read more about their week in fashion’s wild, wild west below.
Day 1
Laura Reilly: Our Paris Fashion Week technically began on day four, pants-less in the back of a private car. Two women fussing out of compression suits and cashmere hoodies and into much more complicated fits: micro-pleated polyester, hot air balloon-sized skirts, and Victorian corsets. Our red-eye from New York had landed at 12:20pm, and the Issey Miyake show—the cornerstone of both our itineraries—was scheduled for 1.
Alexis in Pleats Please dress, Reike Nen boots, Fendi bag, Gemsun belt;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Issey Miyake show
Having done our makeup on the plane and slogged through customs, all that was left to do was light a candle to the traffic gods. Ostensibly, they heard us. We pulled up to the Paris Event Center and kicked open the car doors, in awe we had made it on time, not even the 30-minutes-late “on time” shows tend to go by. We left our luggage and discarded plane outfits in the car and made our mid-week PFW debut. It was my first season attending independently—I was there to cover and connect for my fashion shopping newsletter Magasin—and it was off to a great start.
Alexis Badiyi: The Issey Miyake show was an emotional experience. He is one of the reasons I studied fashion in college. Being here for the first show since his passing, in Paris, was a dream come true. The show began with a tribute to the late designer. Music of birds chirping in nature filled the room. The energy built as the show transitioned into a breathtaking dance then ended with a finale walk—or rather run. Models leaped, twirled, and flew across the warehouse-width runway. It was a complete release. It was full of life. This was about the moment I began to weep.
Anna October presentation;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Laura in The Row vest, Mugler trousers, Agmes earrings
LR: After Issey concluded, our driver dropped me off across town only a block or two from the Arc de Triomphe at the Giambattista Valli show, which was all very Venus de Milo, baby doll-ified. The paparazzi zoo paraded out front—one of many we’d encounter through the week. From there, a short cab split with a former colleague (fashion week is the best backdrop for kismet catch-ups) to the Anna October presentation at Atelier Eiffel, where apples were staged in bookcases and flowers were strewn on the floor. If you made it past the silk-wrapped models and the swing set, you’d even find a cheeky little bar at the back. Champagne, please!
Between that, the coffee, the jet lag, and the four hours’ flight-sleep, I was getting a sense of the state my body would be in for the next five days (running on nonrenewable energy). I grabbed another Uber and headed to Christian Wijnants, held at the Palais de Tokyo. The collection was full of Hawaiian-styled prints and leis, matched with big round specs and latex socks under sandals—just what your rich German aunt would wear on vacation with her new husband.
Hotel Panache;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Maria McManus event at Ofr
Hotel time was a luxury, especially in our comfortable and well-located room at Hotel Panache, but we managed to sneak in 20 minutes to change and down an espresso before our next appointment: drinks with Maria McManus at the indie bookstore Ofr. I had enough time for one glass of natural wine. Well, maybe not quite, because I ended up arriving critically late to Alessandra Rich, held at the legendary 130-year-old restaurant Maxim’s. Patronized by the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Barbara Streisand in its past, the bistro today released a jet stream of models in unapologetically short skirts, massive rosettes, and swingy chains, which I watched from my late-entrance post by the front door.
Having learned my lesson about taxis (avoid them if you have anywhere you actually need to be), I scurried down into the Metro and caught the M8 to the first of two dinners we had on the books for the night. Swedish bag and shoe brand ATP Atelier was hosting a small get-together at Au Passage, a really charming neighborhood bistro in the 11th. Here, too, we had just enough time for a glass of wine—a Chablis from Domaine Pattes Loup. It was the best I had all week—and a few bites of thinly cut tomato before needing to head out to our next obligation.
ATP Atelier dinnerat Au Passage;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Alexis at Silencio Club
We arrived at Silencio des Prés nearly an hour late for our reservation (again, don’t count on cars during PFW). Our second dinner, which could ultimately be broken down to several martini courses, was shared with our friends Katie Rudik of Purple PR and Houman Farahmand and Arsen Barski of Ending Soon. After a final round of espresso martinis, we swapped Silencio the restaurant for Silencio the club, David Lynch’s underground maze of caves fitted out with multiple bars, massive speakers, and bathrooms and smoking rooms gorgeous enough to want to spend time in (well, not too much time). The common prerogative down there beneath the Parisian downpour seemed to be to find one kind of hookup or the other. But it was getting late, and we had a different agenda to attend to tomorrow.
Day 2
LR: Junya Watanabe was the first show of the day, and I was grateful to find coffee waiting for the crowds at its Théâtre National de Chaillot venue. I’ve been struck by the Comme des Garçons universe for years, so it was a surreal moment receiving an invite to get a first look at the collection of one of its preeminent designers. The huge shoulders, stacks of pearls, and Flock of Seagulls hair wouldn’t be the last time strong ‘80s references were pulled onto the runway this week, but the argument Watanabe made through the clothes for a different kind of nostalgia than the one we’re currently trapped in was impressive and memorable nonetheless.
Ester Manas was just down the street, once again at the Palais de Tokyo, so I walked the short distance. Thanks to a past SSENSE capsule, I was already familiar with the body-inclusive designer. The reaction of the crowd to her scrunchy, cutout dresses in Lisa Frank gradients made it clear she’d also converted a few more fans.
Junya Watanabe show;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Noir Kei Ninomiya show
A train ride later, I was at the Oratoire du Louvre, an exquisite Baroque chapel near the Museum of the same name, for the Noir Kei Ninomiya show. Another member of the Commes Des Garçons family, Noir was similarly breathtaking in its experimentation. Models in massive, sculpture-like garments challenged the bounds of what constitutes clothing. It activated the teen within me: living in a place that didn’t value fashion, but spent hours on TheFashionSpot building my community of archive nerds and fashion freaks. Noir was really so humbling in that way, especially amid an occasion that can make one forget what made them fall in love with the craft in the first place.
Alexis and I met back up at the Haus Agency showroom, which was popping up in Paris for the week, to see our friend the founder Karina Trofimova.
AB: We didn’t have a chance to visit with Karina and Haus Agency in New York, so it was actually perfect to pop in to see her in Paris. She reps an array of designers, many of whom are personal favorites. Haus Label, Reike Nen, Few of Us, Mozh Mozh, Dubíe, Maiden Name, M65 Studio, and Inès Bressand. We caught up on our plans for fall and perused the collections, making mental notes of future outfits we hope to wear.
Loewe re-see;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Haus Agency showroom
LR: We sped through our next couple of appointments, eager to eat something finally. The Loewe re-see consisted of a lot of “wait, wedding look?” (That pannier dress, though.) And manifesting the future funds to get my hands on the cropped waxed canvas duck jacket, which could easily be a lifelong investment. The Rui presentation, not too far off in Les Archives, captured a darker vibe, with a live action shibori tying performance—an apt mirror to the collection’s stretched knits—underway.
A friend of mine, a Paris local, suggested we meet for a big French lunch at Au Pied de Cochon, a name it takes quite seriously per the pig foot door handles and pork offal-forward menu. Turns out, we weren’t brave enough to attempt any snout or hoof, but our order of moules frites, saucisson and mashed potatoes, escargots, marrow on the bone, beef tartare, string beans, not to mention profiteroles, glacée, and macarons disguised as pigs, was plenty ambitious—if not for sheer volume alone.
Au Pied de Cochon;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Rui presentation
AB: Just as my sugar high hit, our friend Madelynn Furlong who had joined us for lunch proceeded to lick the back of the cartoon macaron and slap it on my forehead. Simply shocked by my new forehead decor, I broke out into an unstoppable and contagious laughter. I highly suggest trying this party trick on your next dine here.
Riding the buzz of sugar, laughter, and wine, I met up with some New York regulars. Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Eckhaus Latta hosted an evening showroom re-see with cocktails by Arley Marks. The two-floor party spilled out onto the sidewalk; it was intimate and bustling, yet it seemed everyone had a familiar face. Conversation and wine flowed as we got up close and personal with the intricate fabrics and textures of the collections, flanked by iridescent anthuriums.
LR: Alexis came and joined the rest of our impromptu crew at Le Barav, a undeniably charming little natural wine bar in the Marais. After the prodigious lunch we’d only just concluded, there was no way we’d be hungry again for dinner, and certainly not so soon—or was there? No, I know. I wasn’t surprised either. We tried a couple of places in the immediate area only to be told there were waitlists in the multi-hour range, but after walking a little further out we settled in for charcuterie, burrata, and a dessert cheese plate at Les Fines Gueules.
Day 3
LR: Sunday morning was showroom-heavy. Barbara Bui showed her SS23 collection alongside an emotive fashion film; Anna Jewsbury of Completedworks was in town from London to share her latest artfully rumpled jewelry and homewares; By Malene Birger had set up a whole living room complete with specially sourced Mid-Century furniture to complement its spring line; and Refine’s minimalist space hosted a few new essential cuts to its luxurious basics collection.
Completedworks showroom;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
By Malene Birger showroom
AB: Right before the downpour that ensued, I managed to tuck in to visit with our dear friends Ending Soon. They held a special showroom pop-up this week in Paris where they debuted an excellent collection of archival vintage sourced from around the world. Founded in Paris, Ending Soon has evolved into a bi-costal and transcontinental experience, now with a beautiful shop in New York’s Lower East Side.
LR: I wasn’t so lucky on the rain front. It was coming down at its heaviest just as I left the Ottolinger show, wherein guests had been outfitted with cloth shoe covers and seated on stacks of mattresses. The car situation was a mess, so I trodded blocks in my now soaking wet Margiela Tabi flats, wishing I’d held onto those little mesh footies, to Chez Jeannette where we met back up for a spot of lunch.
Laura in Vivienne Westwood corset, Burberry trench coat, Maison Margiela flats, S.Joon bag; Alexis in vintage denim, Maria McManus shirt, Armani blazer, Bottega sunglasses, Reike Nen bag and boots;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Byredo store
After slipping into some dryer clothes, we made our way to the Byredo store on Rue Saint-Honoré to get our makeup done for the night (fun, no?!). I came ready with a photo of Dove Cameron from outside one of the shows earlier that day and left with what we agreed was the “commercial” version: pinky-rouged cheeks all the way up to the undereye and around the cheekbone.
AB: There is something so ASMR about getting one’s makeup done. Like a gentle massage and a glow-up all in one, especially when it’s with Byredo. I came in hot asking for a full blue lid. Julien Scherding lent his expertise and suggested—with my outfit and our next venue considered—that a smokey blue glossy lid was the ticket. He topped the look off with a bit of blue on my cupid’s bow that made me feel beautiful—a bit dark and dead all at once. It was perfect.
LR: Now, it was time to run. Literally. By the time the train had gotten us close to the venue, it was already 30 minutes past doors, which means the Enfants Riche Deprimes would be starting any second. We booked it up the hill to the Lycée Henri IV where the show was being held, nevermind that we were both wearing heels and heavy earrings. We made it within seconds of showtime. Between the eerie, beautiful venue (an in-use high school) and the effortlessly cool clothes, it was worth the cardio.
Enfants Riches Deprimes show;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Chez Omar
Dinner at Chez Omar that night was a food highlight of the trip. French-Northern African cuisine in a time-impervious bistro where Omar himself bobs from table to table making conversation and talking about the old days—truly one of the best vibes to strive for. We were joined by Houman and Arsen again, plus Nicole DeMarco of i-D Magazine and Carly Smith and Paige Melkerson of Dimanche Creative.
AB: Truly one of the best meals of the trip. In usual form, we ordered almost everything on the menu. As we were passing plates back and forth, enjoying each bite, we suddenly noticed an extremely special guest at the table next to us: a kitten, lounging on the table, enjoying the scene, helping itself to snacks. We, of course, asked if we could offer some of the lamb to try (our favorite dish) which the cat gently enjoyed, then sipped some water straight from the cup to quench its thirst.
LR: Giddy from the mounds of food that had once again been heaped upon our table, we braved the trek 40 minutes north to the Balenciaga after party. The warehouse space was noticeably fragranced with a custom scent that pulled in soil and pleasant florals—possibly the same scent-track that scored the brand’s show earlier that day, which featured models trekking through thick globs of mud.
Day 4
AB: We stumbled shivering into Cafe Beaubourg near the Pompidou Center on the one frigid morning of our trip. The post-modern leather booth felt like a warm blanket. We promptly ordered several hot beverages and fantasized about taking a bath in our brewing tea. We then plotted our next move, mine centered around changing into boots and layers.
Cafe Beaubourg;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Thom Browne show
LR: The adrenaline of Thom Browne was warming me up. I metro’d to the Palais Garnier, possibly one of the most Rococo buildings I’ve ever stepped foot in, and was met with a brick wall of photographers swarming the celebrity hotspot. Taking my seat in the innately decorated opera theater, I passed by Anna Wintour, Michele Lamy, Jaden Smith, Doja Cat, Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu, so many others. But the real spectacle would take place on the runway. Thom’s Cinderella-like characters, reimagined through a lens of ‘80s (there’s that decade again) high-school romcom archetypes, Bella Hadid emerged as a devilish sprite, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez closed out the show “driving away” in a pink organza Cadillac.
AB: Taking a hard left at Hermès and slowly stepping through the glass doors of the tucked-away Le 39V, we were transported to a luxurious, calming, futuristic setting. I love dining with Laura because we get to share everything and end up trying most of the menu. Each dish on the pre-fix lunch boasted impeccable plating and flavor. The dessert may have been my favorite: bento-style boxes unstacked to reveal chocolate truffles and cookies alongside tarts and espresso.
Le 39V;
Photos: Courtesy of Laura Reilly and Alexis Badiyi
Germanier show
We left with a little time before our next show, situated dangerously close to some of the most beautiful hotel bars in Paris. (Flash to us cuddled in a velvet chaise at the Shangri-La Hotel sipping martinis.) As our day came to an end, we had two juxtaposing shows left on the docket. Starting with tailoring and rivets at Rokh and ending with out-of-this-world beading, crystals, and feathers at Germanier.
One of my favorite things to do on a trip is reserve one mellow, at-home Sunday for catching up on work and rest. This was not our home, nor was it a Sunday, but it was our cozy night. We foraged our local fruit stand for picnic goodies and wine. Out rolled the figs, chips, nuts—our very own aperitivo hour in bed, with a side of French TV and our laptops firing away. It was much needed.
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