Clare Waight Keller, Isabel Marant, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Bouchra Jarrar, Phoebe Philo, Miuccia Prada, Rei Kawakubo—when was the last time we saw so many women leading the women's wear calendar in Paris?
From fashion to politics, it's been a big year for women bosses. And in many ways, the spring/summer 2017 season has been one big celebration of womanhood in all its shapes and forms. Here are some of the strongest from day four.
Chloé's girl's girl
"That's the woman I want to be," an editor said as we all walked out of the Chloé show. And the thought pretty much sums up what the Chloé girl has become during the years creative director Clare Waight Keller has led the brand: cool without being unapproachable, fashionable without trying too hard, and romantic without being too soft. In many ways Keller's spring collection epitomized the spirit of the brand: It was breezy, wearable and chic, filled with clothes that won't complicate your life.
Take, for instance, her whimsical blouson tops and trousers. They give you a definite fashion look while being easy and practical enough to navigate the world in—whether that's a crowded rush-hour commute, a quiet office, or a busy fashion week.
Meanwhile, her interpretation of florals (folksy and vintage-looking here) and frills (pleated, with shorter hemlines) had just the right amount of sweetness without going into toothache territory.
Isabel Marant's girl crush
And just as Chloé embodied all its trademark qualities, Marant's latest collection was peak Marant in that it signaled a return to that sense of French-girl cool that's so core to her brand.
She showed youthful, upbeat takes on some of the season's big ideas: swingy dresses with handkerchief hemlines and shorter variations in arts-and-crafts-y florals or sexy frills.
It was her strongest collection in several seasons, mostly because it looked so energetic, contemporary, and wearable—three things we look to Marant for. And the fact that the show was straightforward, free of major headlines and elaborate backstories, was a huge part of the appeal: These were great clothes worn by a cast of top models (Arizona Muse, Edie Campbell, Imaan Hammam, Doutzen Kroes, Selena Forrest, and Gigi Hadid.) If Chloé is the woman you want to be, this is the girl crush you want to have drinks with.
