Paris Fashion Week Schedule: Pret-A-Porter Autumn/Winter 2008

Saturday, February 2008, the 23rd
4:30 pm IMPASSE DE LA DÉFENSE Restaurant Le Train Bleu - Salle Dorée - Gare de Lyon
5:30 pm FATIMA LOPES Hôtel Westin - Salon Concorde - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
6:30 pm DÉVASTÉE L’Académie - 14 rue Royale - Paris 8e
7:30 pm IVANAHELSINKI Hôtel Westin - Salon Concorde - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er

Sunday, February 2008, the 24th
10:00 am JEFEN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
11:00 am LIE SANG BONG Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
12:00 pm CHER MICHEL KLEIN Intercontinental Paris Le Grand - 2 rue Scribe - Paris 9e
2:00 pm RAJESH PRATAP SINGH Espace Commines - 17 rue Commines - Paris 3e
3:00 pm BALMAIN Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
4:00 pm BRUNO PIETERS Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt - 9 place des Vosges - Paris 4e
5:00 pm MANISH ARORA BETC EURO RSCG - 85 rue du faubourg Saint-Martin - Paris 10e
6:00 pm RICK OWENS École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:00 pm BLESS 22 avenue Marx Dormoy - Paris 18e
8:00 pm AF VANDEVORST Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Monday, February 2008, the 25th
10:00 am ATSURO TAYAMA Salle Pleyel - 252 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré - Paris 8e
11:00 am VÉRONIQUE LEROY Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
12:00 pm GASPARD YURKIEVICH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:00 pm ROBERT NORMAND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:30 pm CHRISTIAN DIOR Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm ISABEL MARANT Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
4:30 pm SHARON WAUCHOB Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
5:30 pm UNDERCOVER La Cigale - 120 boulevard Rochechouart - Paris 18e
6:30 pm MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
7:30 pm VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Hôtel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er
8:30 pm YOHJI YAMAMOTO Palais de la Bourse - Place de la bourse - Paris 2e

Tuesday, February 2008, the 26th
09:30 am BALENCIAGA See invitation
10:30 am JUNYA WATANABE See invitation
11:30 am TSUMORI CHISATO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm MARITHÉ & FRANCOIS GIRBAUD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm LUTZ Espace Pierre Cardin - 1/3 avenue Gabriel - Paris 8e
2:30 pm VIKTOR & ROLF See invitation
3:30 pm ISSEY MIYAKE Musée de l’homme - 17 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
4:30 pm ANN DEMEULEMEESTER Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm COMME DES GARCONS See invitation
7:00 pm JEAN PAUL GAULTIER 325 rue Saint-Martin - Paris 3e
8:00 pm VÉRONIQUE BRANQUINHO Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e
9:00 pm LOEWE Opéra Comique - place Boieldieu - Paris 2e

Wednesday, February 2008, the 27th
10:00 am KARL LAGERFELD Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
11:00 am ANDREW GN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
12:00 pm AKRIS Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm EMANUEL UNGARO Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:00 pm COSTUME NATIONAL Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm DRIES VAN NOTEN Manège du Grand Palais - entrée porte C - avenue Franklin Roosevelt - Paris 8e
4:00 pm CHRISTIAN LACROIX Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:00 pm REQUIEM Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
6:00 pm GIVENCHY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
7:30 pm HUSSEIN CHALAYAN See invitation
8:30 pm BERNHARD WILLHELM Maison des Métallos - 94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e

Thursday, February 2008, the 28th
09:30 am STELLA MCCARTNEY Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
10:30 am VALENTINO Palais de Chaillot - 1 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e
11:30 am LÉONARD Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
12:30 pm BARBARA BUI Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
1:30 pm ANNE VALÉRIE HASH Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
3:30 pm ZUCCA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm CELINE Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
5:30 pm HAIDER ACKERMANN Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
6:30 pm SOPHIA KOKOSALAKI Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
8:00 pm YVES SAINT LAURENT Grand Palais - avenue Winston Churchill - Paris 8e

Friday, February 2008, the 29th
10:30 am CHANEL Grand Palais - avenue du Général Eisenhower - Paris 8e
11:30 am AGNÈS B. Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e
12:30 pm JEAN-CHARLES DE CASTELBAJAC Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:30 pm ALENA AKHMADULLINA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
2:30 pm SONIA RYKIEL Espace Ephémère Tuileries – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris 1er
3:30 pm JUNKO SHIMADA École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
4:30 pm RUE DU MAIL (by Martine Sitbon) Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
5:30 pm ES ORCHESTRES La Sorbonne - 47 rue des Ecoles - Paris 5e
7:00 pm JOSE CASTRO Parking du Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e
8:00 pm ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - Salle Marcel Cerdan - Porte 28 - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e

Saturday, March 2008, the 1st
10:30 am KENZO Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e
11:30 am ELIE SAAB Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme *
12:30 pm WUNDERKIND Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
1:30 pm PAUL & JOE Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Nôtre*
2:30 pm COMMUUN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
3:30 pm CHLOÉ Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
4:30 pm MARTIN GRANT École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
5:30 pm HERMÈS Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm LIMI FEU Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e
8:00 pm JOHN GALLIANO Grande Halle de la Villette - 211 avenue Jean Jaurès - Paris 19e

Sunday, March 2008, the 2nd
10:00 am VANESSA BRUNO 8 rue de la Pierre Levée - Paris 11e
11:00 am NINA RICCI Espace Ephémère Tuileries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er
12:00 pm CHAPURINLe Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme*
1:00 pm YUKI TORII Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
2:00 pm COLLETTE DINNIGAN Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot*
3:00 pm LOUIS VUITTON See invitation
4:30 pm SAKINA M’SA Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel*
5:30 pm LANVIN Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e
6:30 pm MOON YOUNG HEE École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpomène - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e
7:30 pm MIU MIU See invitation
8:30 pm CHADO RALPH RUCCI Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e

* Le Carrousel du Louvre, 99, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Lagerfeld Inks Deal With Vaprio Stile

Godfrey Deeny Tue Oct 30, 1:06 PM ET

Paris - The house of Karl Lagerfeld has inked a licensing deal with Italy's Vaprio Stile to produce the designer's signature women's collection starting with the fall 2008 season.

Tommy Hilfiger Corp., to boost the Lagerfeld brand, which has historically had more name recognition than significant fashion sales.

"In Italy, there is a high quality capacity for ready-to-wear licenses because in that area it is a real tradition," commented Lagerfeld, three weeks after staging his well-received spring-summer 2008 collection in a fashion tent outside the Louvre.

The designer will continue to directly manage the design and marketing of the collection, the first of which manufactured by Vaprio will debut on a Paris catwalk in February 2008 and bow at retail in Fall 2008. The collection, to be sold worldwide in select department stores and specialty stores, is clearly targeted at what Hilfiger honchos believe is a significant untapped demand for clothes by Lagerfeld, one of history's best-known designers.

Hilfiger execs insist the partnership will combine Lagerfeld's design vision with Vaprio Stile's expertise in manufacturing, sales and distribution.

"This partnership with Vaprio Stile demonstrates our continued effort to build and expand the Karl Lagerfeld brand to become a true global business," insisted Fred Gehring, CEO, of the Lagerfeld holding.

Gehring is known to be convinced that Lagerfeld can achieve important sales numbers in America and the Far East, as evidenced by the gigantic pent-up desire by consumers for designs by Karl during his highly successful collaboration with mass market retailer H&M in 2004.

"Given Vaprio Stile's proven track record in producing and distributing women's wear of exceptional quality, we are confident that we have found the best partner to enable the Karl Lagerfeld collection to maximize its potential and to reach a broader consumer base worldwide," Dutch-born but New York based Gehring added.

Equally enthusiastic was Vaprio Stile Chairman Roberto Zanetto: "Karl Lagerfeld's creative experience, style and prestige will be a great contribution to our common goal...strategic development and success of the Karl Lagerfeld women's ready-to-wear collection worldwide."

Vaprio Stile, controlled by Arner Private Equity Fund, manages the license of Emanuel Ungaro and produces the Givenchy collection.

These past weeks, the house of Lagerfeld has negotiated improved licenses for eyewear, handbags and fragrances, with fresh launches planned for next year.

Fashion stalwarts, rookie designers mix in Paris

By Kerstin Gehmlich Sun Oct 7, 8:50 AM ET

PARIS (Reuters) - Autumn leaves from the Tuileries gardens wafted over Olivier Theyskens' catwalk on Sunday as the young designer presented nature-inspired, silky dresses in his second collection for fashion label Nina Ricci.

Theyskens, 30, who came from fashion house Rochas after the label stopped its fashion business last year, paraded out models wearing light, pastel-colored dresses and large woollen cardigans as they walked through an open tent in the Tuileries.

Taking over at an established label is a tricky task for designers who need to prove their own style while respecting the history of a house.

Sweden's Paulo Melim Andersson faced the same challenge at Chloe, where he rolled out his second collection on Saturday, presenting dungaree-style dresses worn with transparent tops and slim, shimmering trousers.

At Ricci, Theyskens has had a good start, said Mario Grauso, president of the Puig fashion group to which the label belongs, adding the response from retailers to the first collection had been very strong.

"It's been a real pleasure to work with Olivier. I'm even more upbeat now after almost a year," he told reporters. "It's very exciting and the clothes are selling beautifully."

Theyskens paraded out models in shimmering dresses, worn with short jackets with wide slits in the back. The show closed with high-waisted white gowns with long, voluminous trains.

"For me, the theme was girls coming back from a ball who you would find on the side of the street in the early morning," the soft-spoken Theyskens said backstage.

"I wanted to finish on a pure Ricci note. And to me that pure Ricci note are the white dresses at the end," he said.

NEW AND OLD FACES

The Nina Ricci show was one of the last presentations in a fashion marathon that has taken editors and buyers from New York to London, Milan and Paris in the past few weeks.

In Paris, fashion stalwarts such as Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino presented their collections alongside a series of new faces, including Indian designers Manish Arora and Anamika.

Japan's Limi Feu also showed in Paris for the first time as her father, established designer Yohji Yamamoto, watched on.

"I'm very nervous," Yamamoto told Reuters before the show on Saturday, in which his daughter turned out sharply tailored black jackets, worn over long white shirts with floating lapels.

Vivid colors dominated the runway this week, as Italy's Valentino rolled out long gowns in his signature red in his last ready-to-wear show, and sequins sparkled on sleek dresses at Kenzo, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent.

"It's certainly a season where colors seem to be an overriding message on every runway," said Ken Downing, fashion director at upmarket U.S. store Neiman Marcus. "Even designers of whom you don't particularly think of doing colors have made really bold statements, with hot turquoises and hot pinks."

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau)

Karl Lagerfeld Swims Up Stream

Godfrey Deeny Thu Oct 4, 7:19 PM ET

Paris - In a season when designers are dressing women for picnics and stylish jaunts, Karl Lagerfeld has thankfully reminded us that there will also be late night parties next summer.

His black runway was lit by massive primary color neon strips, his girls were sassy in mesh covered hip huggers, or raring to go, in short bowling skirts and hyper-buttoned Eisenhower jackets and racing - Maria Carla vamping as a groupie femme fatale in an off the shoulder web dress over pencil pants.

Karl's spring summer 2008 collection had a Pop Art vernacular; test-tube blue shades, wide white belts and, the season's must-have arm equipment - a Lucite bracelet, and Lagerfeld likes his Star Trek spiky.

The show also featured the return to other designer runners of the Calvin Klein ambassadress, Natalia Vodianova. Freed from her "gilded prison," the Russian emoted in a biker mini and warrior bomber.

And, in a time of strict structure, Karl's loose over tight silhouette looked clever.

His choices, however, were a tad erratic; a layered baby doll look on pouting Lara Stone was naively jejune, as was the less than happy mad maid outfit on Carmen Kass.

But, against the dominant alpine current, it was great to see some brainy sex and mischief, all done with some polish, from quirky cloches down to the side-split, stiff silk cocktails. Call it seduction with sass.

Stars sparkle on and off catwalk

By Kerstin Gehmlich Fri Oct 5, 7:55 AM ET

PARIS (Reuters) - Golden stars and large sequins sparkled from dresses at Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent as designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stefano Pilati presented youthful collections for two of France's most established fashion labels.

Staying true to a fashion house's legacy is a tricky business for designers, who have to add their own edge to a label while remaining faithful to the brand's history.

Italy's Pilati carries a lot of weight on his shoulders at Yves Saint Laurent, where he was appointed in 2004. Lagerfeld, approaching 70, is used to the task, having designed for Chanel for more than 20 years.

On Friday, the German designer brought out models in Chanel's trademark tweed jackets, but worn over long shifting dresses covered in stars or combined with tight denim skirts.

"Chanel -- to me that's just haute couture," supermodel Claudia Schiffer said at the show for spring-summer 2008 collections, adding that she still liked to wear Chanel outfits that dated back 10 or 20 years.

Schiffer and other front row guests including actress Kirsten Dunst and singers Lily Allen and Courtney Love watched as models presented sporty striped V-neck tops and light pastel-colored blouses held at the waist by a black ribbon. One girl wore a small leather wallet attached to her ankle.

"Coco Chanel was the spokeswoman of the modern woman," Lagerfeld said of the label's founder, who died in 1971. "(The brand) continues to incarnate the development of the modern woman," he said backstage. "(Now) it's up to me to lift people up into the stars."

SPARKLING STARS AT YSL

At Yves Saint Laurent, Pilati presented models in sleek oversized vests, parading them out beneath giant white balloons in Paris's glass-roofed Grand Palais exhibition hall.

French actress Catherine Deneuve said Pilati had respected Laurent's inheritance while adding a new edge to the label.

"He has done the impossible thing," she told Reuters at his show late on Thursday, in which Pilati showed high-waisted fuchsia skirts and tunic-style dresses covered with stars.

"He is bowing to the spirit of what Yves Saint Laurent did. He got into the job with a lot of modesty," she said.

The bespectacled Saint-Laurent, born in 1936, ruled the French fashion scene from the age of 21 until his retirement in 2002. This year, he was awarded the title of Great Officer in the Legion of Honor.

Pilati, born in 1965, sent out a girl in a tight knee-length skirt covered in triangular-shaped sequins in pink and turquoise. Other models presented dresses cut close to the body around the shoulders and the front but floating out in the back.

"When I think of Yves Saint Laurent, I think of dark elegance," burlesque artist Dita von Teese said at the show. "It's very special what (Pilati) has done. He's staying true to the brand but also brings new life to it."

Karl Lagerfeld Swims Up Stream

Godfrey Deeny Thu Oct 4, 7:19 PM ET

Paris - In a season when designers are dressing women for picnics and stylish jaunts, Karl Lagerfeld has thankfully reminded us that there will also be late night parties next summer.

His black runway was lit by massive primary color neon strips, his girls were sassy in mesh covered hip huggers, or raring to go, in short bowling skirts and hyper-buttoned Eisenhower jackets and racing - Maria Carla vamping as a groupie femme fatale in an off the shoulder web dress over pencil pants.

Karl's spring summer 2008 collection had a Pop Art vernacular; test-tube blue shades, wide white belts and, the season's must-have arm equipment - a Lucite bracelet, and Lagerfeld likes his Star Trek spiky.

The show also featured the return to other designer runners of the Calvin Klein ambassadress, Natalia Vodianova. Freed from her "gilded prison," the Russian emoted in a biker mini and warrior bomber.

And, in a time of strict structure, Karl's loose over tight silhouette looked clever.

His choices, however, were a tad erratic; a layered baby doll look on pouting Lara Stone was naively jejune, as was the less than happy mad maid outfit on Carmen Kass.

But, against the dominant alpine current, it was great to see some brainy sex and mischief, all done with some polish, from quirky cloches down to the side-split, stiff silk cocktails. Call it seduction with sass.