Fashion

Karl Lagerfeld is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on at Paris Fashion Week. On the sidelines of her autumn/winter Ready-to-Wear show, Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri pays homage to the late Chanel powerhouse. Dior and Saint Laurent, meanwhile, mark the start of two decidedly different sartorial eras. And younger designers like Christelle Kocher and Simon Porte Jacquemus prove once again that they're a force to be reckoned with. FRANCE 24 takes you to the catwalks.

Fashion is the one of the most polluting industries in the world. Every year, the textile industry produces 5.8 million tons of waste in Europe alone - and France has one of the worst track records in the EU as far as recycling is concerned. For over 10 years now, Marcia de Carvalho has been trying to do something about that with her recycling project called "Chaussettes Orphelines," or "Orphaned Socks". Today she's showing off her hard work at Paris's City Hall. FRANCE 24 went to meet her.

Humour, rigour and know-how! Over more than six decades, Karl Lagerfeld has become one of the most recognised and admired fashion designers in the world. A brilliant stylist, an outstanding draughtsman and a skilled photographer, he has breathed new life into all the brands he has worked with. FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of his most memorable Chanel shows – and quotes!

Haute Couture is the pinnacle of French elegance. It exists to push the boundaries of what fashion is capable of. For the summer 2019 collections shown at Paris Fashion Week, Chanel reconstructs a vast 18th century Italian villa at the Grand Palais to show off its latest shimmering offering. Dior recreates a high-glamour trip to the circus. And Jean Paul Gaultier pays tribute to the ocean, Japan, and David Bowie via the unlikely medium of pleats.

In response to rising levels of anxiety across the globe, designers showing their latest menswear collections in Paris have outdone themselves when it comes to colour and silhouettes. Belgian creative Walter Van Beirendonck draws inspiration from the idea of a lone tribe who survived the worst, Japanese label Facetasm choose thundering punk rock to accompany their show at the Saint-Merri church, while American designer Virgil Abloh points the finger at the pernicious effects of television.

Fashion is always looking ahead to the next big thing, which means much of 2018 was spent on deciding the trends that will dominate 2019. And what a year it's going to be: full of upended aesthetic codes, a rejection of throwaway fashion, plus a celebration of diversity. While fashion is often about looking attractive, it can also serve a more primal urge – to help the wearer feel seen and heard. FRANCE 24 brings you a sneak peek at the year ahead.

“Le Fashion Freak Show”, at Paris’s famed Folies Bergère, is a feast for the senses. There’s song, dance, acrobatics, fashion, and a lot of audacity. The show tells the story of one of the most innovative designers alive today; Jean-Paul Gaultier. Surrounded by unusual and singular personalities, he recounts the story about himself - unvarnished and taboo - in this special edition.

Back in 1998 in Niger's Tiguidit desert, designer Alphadi created FIMA. Two decades later, for its 11th edition, the International Festival of Fashion in Africa has decamped to Dakhla, Western Sahara. Today, African fashion is more vibrant than ever, holding up a mirror to a rapidly changing continent. Youssef Drissi, a 22-year-old Moroccan, has won the top Young Designers Award. His clothes breathe an unusual lightness into workwear, combining an office-appropriate style with sportswear.

The haute couture market is an art form that seeks to marry ancient glamour with modern techniques, tradition with modernity. The industry is worth billions of euros a year. It's unaffordable for most, but beauty doesn’t always need to owned to be enjoyed. For Winter 2018, the focus is on seduction - and sensuality. FRANCE 24 takes you to the catwalks to check out the latest collections.

For its 20th edition, the International Festival of African Fashion has swapped its native Niger for Dakhla, Western Sahara. For Alphadi, the festival’s founder and president – himself a designer – fashion is all about collaboration. It’s a tool for forging communities and encouraging integration. This year, as ever, it’s important for the continent to have a chance to put its best foot forward… the world, after all, is watching.