Twice a year — in February-March for the fall-winter collections and in September-October for spring-summer — Paris becomes the world capital of fashion for a week with Paris Fashion Week. The official runway shows, held in iconic venues such as the Grand Palais Éphémère or the Tuileries Garden, remain reserved for industry professionals and invited guests, but the week's energy can be felt well beyond the show venues. Street style — the elaborate outfits photographed by fashion enthusiasts outside the show venues — has become a spectacle in its own right, as have the special window displays and temporary installations set up by fashion houses in the neighborhoods involved.
A model photographed in the street during Fashion Week
Outside the show venues, the looks worn by models and guests are photographed by fashion enthusiasts, a free spectacle open to any passerby.
Street style, a spectacle in its own right
Fashion professionals and guests compete in style out in the street between shows, a trend that's become as closely watched as the runways themselves.
Tips
Without an invitation, it isn't possible to attend the shows themselves, but standing near the venues listed in the official schedule, published in advance by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, lets you watch guests arrive and take in the street style. Some fashion houses set up temporary installations or window displays open to the public in their boutiques alongside the shows; checking major houses' social media during Fashion Week helps you spot these opportunities.
