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DUBAI: Saudi French model Amira Al-Zuhair made a statement at the Zimmermann show during Paris Fashion Week, wearing a burnt-orange ensemble.

The sleeveless, fitted dress featured draped, ruched detailing that added movement to the design. The look was finished off with strappy brown leather sandals and gold accessories, including chandelier earrings and bracelets.

Joining her on the runway was British Moroccan model Nora Attal, who wore a flowing cream-colored gown with a high neckline and long, billowy sleeves. The fitted bodice transitioned into a pleated, floor-length skirt. 

Al-Zuhair and Attal were not the only Arab models making an impact at Paris Fashion Week. French Algerian model Loli Bahia walked for Louis Vuitton on Monday, wearing a relaxed yet structured ensemble. 

She donned an oversized coral turtleneck sweater adorned with asymmetrical metallic embellishments, paired with loose-fitting, high-waisted brown trousers. A coordinating brown coat featuring a checkerboard-patterned pocket detail completed the look. 

The setting of the Louis Vuitton runway was “L’Étoile du Nord,” described by Louis Vuitton as “a hidden station where past and future travelers converge, evoking the golden age of railway adventure.” 

The show took place in this historic 1845 building, originally constructed for the Compagnie du Nord railway company to house its offices. Its atrium was meticulously transformed into a grand train station waiting room for the ready-to-wear display, reinforcing the theme of travel, anticipation and adventure, according to show noted.

On the runway, designer Nicolas Ghesquière spun a narrative of train stations both real and imagined, styling passengers for journeys unknown. There were detectives in trench coats, campers in bulky New Wave sweaters, and party girls rushing for the last train in ruched velvet. The designer has long been a master of cinematic dressing, pulling from a rolodex of filmic inspirations — classic whodunnits, fantasies and comedies. 

Elsewhere, a voluminous, cascading layered tulle skirt in deep fuchsia channeled Ghesquière’s penchant for fusing styles of different centuries, juxtaposed with a contemporary architectural knit top and futuristic slicked-back hair. 

The show saw A-list celebrities sit on the coveted front row, including Emma Stone, Jennifer Connelly, Ana de Armas, Chloë Grace Moretz, Lisa, Jaden Smith, Ava DuVernay and Sophie Turner. 

PARIS: Valentino paraded high fashion inside public toilets in one of the season’s most provocative backdrops, especially for a house as classical as Valentino.

Lebanese influencer and eyewear designer Karen Wazen was on hand — decked out in an all-cream Valentino look, with polka dotted gloves to boot — as the likes of Chappell Roan, Parker Posey, Jared Leto and Barry Keoghan sat amid the crimson glow of the set. Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna and Saudi Arabia-based Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez were also spotted in the audience, both wearing head-to-toe Valentino.

The meticulous recreation stayed true to the aesthetic of a communal toilet down to the tiling, soap dispensers, mirrors and endless rows of stalls, all bathed in an unsettling, almost seedy red light.

Partly inspired by David Lynch, the space set the tone for Alessandro Michele’s bold new vision. With a background in costume design, Michele infuses his collections with inspirations from theater and film, crafting narratives as much as he does garments.  

Michele often selects venues with deep historical or cultural significance — think palaces — so this public toilet setting was a clever subversion, even of his own signature style. The result? A show that explored the boundaries between public and private, intimacy and exposure, and the ever-blurred lines of identity in contemporary fashion.

Models emerged from toilet cubicles, some stopping to inspect their faces in the mirrors, blurring the line between personal and performative. The clothes were pure theatricality: caps, hoods, and dark shades concealing the face, while sheer nude tops exposed the body, a direct contrast between covering up and revealing.

Michele’s designs are characterized by a kaleidoscopic mix of times and cultures, blending elements from different historical periods to create a unique aesthetic. He considers himself an “art archaeologist,” exploring how adornment and embellishment have evolved over the centuries.

The audience buzzed with excitement. “He’s upending Valentino in the same way Demna did at Balenciaga,” one front-row guest remarked. The applause was loud, the reaction immediate. This wasn’t just a collection, it was a statement, disruptive and irreverent, pulling a classical house into new, unexpected territory.