Paris Couture Week Runways Are All About Freeing The Nip

If I know one thing to be true, it’s that runways grow bolder and outfits get sheerer with every passing season. Take Paris Couture Week’s Fall/Winter 2024 shows, for example. We’re only half-way through the season and, already, several designers have debuted risqué nip-baring look — more so than in previous seasons.

Historically, the couture-focused shows have earned a reputation for being the most conservative of all fashion week iterations — a stark contrast from the daring ready-to-wear shows of February and September. The tide turned at the Spring/Summer 2024 shows in January, however, when even legacy couturiers sent diaphanous styles down their esteemed runways.

This June’s shows proved that nip-forward looks are on the uptick. Models for Chanel and Dior strutted in barely-there ensembles, and even Thom Browne, a designer known for his preppy aesthetic, debuted several sheer numbers sans undergarments.

Nips were also abundant off the runway. Gigi Hadid, for example, gave her own tongue-in-cheek interpretation to the bare-it-all style. Instead of going for something see-through, the supermodel was covered completely in a trompe l’oeil dress printed with shimmering breasts.

While there are bound to be more free the nip moments as Paris Couture Week rolls on, here are the best so far.

Thom Browne’s Lacy Looks

In the past, one could instantly identify Thom Browne’s designs from the layers of tweed and the tailored, menswear-inspired suits. This season, however, Browne leaned into a much softer, much saucier spirit. Exhibit A: this diaphanous lace LWD.

Dita Von Teese’s Pasties

At the Alexis Mabille Haute Couture show, burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese treated audiences to a surprise performance of her famous glass martini routine. To match the dance’s sultry vibe, she wore nothing but a thong and bow-laden pasties.

Gigi Hadid’s Trompe L’Oiel Look

After strutting down the Vogue World runway twice, Gigi Hadid turned the streets of Paris into her personal catwalk. To attend the show’s after-party, she wore a dazzling Balmain illusion dress that featured a bare bosom and an exaggerated denim-inspired skirt. It was cheeky in the best way.

Giorgio Armani’s Beaded Offerings

Last season, Giorgio Armani Privé debuted dresses with translucent tops and voluminous skirts. The designer leaned into a similar ethos this June. Instead of the skirts taking up space, however, the looks were crafted with the most intricate beading. One dress, in particular, featured a sheer embellished top with a delicate beaded fringe that swayed on the runway.

Chanel’s Couquette-Inspired Looks

Chanel said: free the nip, but make it coquette. One model’s ensemble included a see-through black top with ruffled details, a pleated skirt, and an oversized hair bow. It was schoolgirl style for grownups.

Dior’s Shimmery Sheers

Dior finally joined the nipply gang this season, showing multiple body-flaunting outfits. The French label set its designs apart by interpreting the daring style with a more casual, cleaner silhouette.

One look, for example, was a relatively simple, no-fuss racerback dress with a matching cape. Leaning into Couture Week’s opulent aesthetic, the humble design was rendered in glitzy gold fabric.

Stéphane Rolland’s Dramatic Dresses

Flaunting typically unseen body parts is statement enough for many runways. At Stéphane Rolland’s show, however, showing nip under sheer fabrics was a mere design tool utilized to juxtapose the textures of his creations. In this case, the thin material acted as a perfect backdrop for the dramatic, structural waves.