A promising line-up for February Fashion Week with the return of Vetements

The Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Féminine is unveiling the line-up of its next Fashion Week. The Fashion Week, dedicated to women’s ready-to-wear collections for autumn/winter 2024/25, will be held from February 26 to March 5, with 71 shows and 38 presentations and a total of 109 fashion houses. According to the provisional calendar just published, a number of prestigious names are returning to the show, including Vetements and Lacoste. But it will also see the debut of a number of new brands, including Japan’s CFCL and the Zomer Paris label.

CFCL (Clothing For Contemporary Life) has been on the catwalk for a few seasons now, outside of the official calendar. Founded in 2020 by Yusuke Takashi, who previously worked for Issey Miyake, the label uses recycled materials to promote fashion that is both comfortable and stylish. It will open Paris Fashion Week on Monday, February 26, while Zomer will close the show on Tuesday March 5. A fan of joyful, experimental fashion, this brand was created in 2023 by Dutchmen Danial Aitouganov, who has worked in the Burberry and Chloé studios, and Imruh Asha, who worked for Moschino, Pucci and Jacquemus before being appointed fashion director of Dazed fashion magazine in 2021. 
 
All the big names will be there, from Christian Dior and Saint Laurent on February 27, to Courrèges and Balmain on February 28, Rick Owens, Givenchy and Rabanne on March 29, Loewe and Issey Miyake on March 1, Hermès on March 2, Balenciaga and Valentino on March 3, Chanel, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton on March 5. And of course the other Japanese designers, from Yohji Yamamoto to Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe, Undercover, Sacai, etc.

In addition to this already full programme, there will be a host of eagerly-awaited returns. Starting with Vetements, led by Guram Gvasalia, who will be on show on Friday, March 1, as well as the day before, Off-White, and Lacoste, which is returning to the Paris calendar after a year away following the departure of its creative director Louise Trotter, who is now working at Carven. It has appointed Pelagia Kolotouros to replace her. Last September, Lacoste organised a major evening to mark its 90th anniversary.
 
Two French fashion houses are also making a comeback. Ester Manas, winner of the 2023 Prix Spéciale de l’Andam, will be taking the runway on Tuesday, February 27, after taking a break last season “to think about the next steps”. And Marine Serre, who is switching to the women’s programme with a show dedicated to women on Monday, March 4, after showing a great men’s collection in January during the men’s Fashion Week. There will also be a show by the IFM.
 
Three names are absent. Marni, which chose Paris last September for its travelling shows is returning to Milan this season. Peter Do, who, after a first Paris show, is set to return to the New York calendar. And Maison Margiela, which has just shown during the Haute Couture Week in January.
 
The programme of presentations includes two newcomers, Italian Gabriele Colangelo and South African Maxhosa Africa, as well as three returning designers: Chinese label Chen Peng, Irish designer Róisín Pierce and Rochas, which will unveil the first collection of its new creative director Alessandro Vigilante. Among the other highlights of the Week, two new creative directors will be putting on their first shows for their new labels: Chemena Kamali, on February 29 for Chloé, and Seán McGirr for Alexandre McQueen on March 2.