The 21 Most Shocking Moments From Paris Fashion Week

Every designer’s worst nightmare happened just before Balmain’s Spring 2024 show. While garments from the new collection were in transit, the delivery vehicle was hijacked and nearly 50 pieces were stolen.

Though, the team was able to recreate several of the lost items, the original garments have yet to be recovered.

Ever since Miu Miu debuted their Fall 2023 collection, which included pantsless runway models wearing only undies and tights, influencers and celebs have taken to the look. Naturally, at the label’s Spring 2024 show, virtually every fashion darling rocked variations of the undies-as-pants ensemble — both models and attendees.

Conversely, on the Miu Miu runway, undergarments were lacking. Gigi Hadid went braless under a bedazzled co-ord set. Though her underwire was absent, Hadid did flaunt her cobalt blue undies. A risquè slay.

For Spring 2024, Daniel Roseberry reached deep into Schiaparelli’s (crustacean) archives — specifically, to Elsa Schiaparelli’s lobster dress in 1937, designed with help from Salvador Dali.

Roseberry’s take on the marine life, however, was decidedly modern: 3D lobsters were tacked onto waists, cleavages, and crotches. The result was surrealism at its finest.

To attend the lobster-centric Schiaparelli show, Kylie Jenner channeled two of her sisters in one head-turning ensemble.

In a Marilyn Monroe-esque gown, Jenner took style notes from Kim Kardashian, who famously wore the late legend’s dress to the 2022 Met Gala. Meanwhile, on her feet, she twinned with sister Kendall, who wore the exact same toe-sculpted heels on the runway.

Jenner’s ‘fit proved TikTok’s “wrong shoe theory” correct. An Old Hollywood dress paired with an avant-garde shoe created a juxtaposition that wowed.

Meanwhile, in the same show, Kendall Jenner sauntered down the catwalk in a strapless dress that was covered completely in fingernail-like embellishments — manicured in flaming red polish, no less.

As usual, Loewe playfully toyed with the idea of construction and wearability. Among the buzzy items (like a sweater with no armholes), the most-talked-about design was a pale yellow dress with a surrealist twist. Its bodice was made of a stiff square seemingly affixed to the body with a massive sewing pin.

Selena Gomez became Paris Fashion Week’s unofficial it girl, supplying looks all week long. She pulled out all the stops in various bustier numbers and, most recently, a Jacquemus dress that gave major Princess Diana vibes.

Everyone was emotional at Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2024 show, as the event was Sarah Burton’s last as creative director. Naomi Campbell was even caught on camera wiping away a tear while strutting on the catwalk.

The somber mood, however, was interrupted by both amusement and awe, as a flower dress that looked like a labia sashayed down the runway. The New York Times called the crimson confection “O’Keeffe-ian.” I rest my case.

Designer Christian Cowan sent a model down the runway enclosed in a massive fur ball dress that completely obstructed their vision. It turned into a saga for the model, who got lost on the catwalk and had to be redirected.

Sam Smith, who was performing during the show, helped steer her in the right direction, but the model still ran into front-row guests, and later, the stage itself.

At Valentino, FKA Twigs gave a memorable performance when she debuted new songs from her upcoming album. Aptly titled “Unearth Me,” the artist sang, emoted, and danced barefoot in boxes of soil and sand.

A Zendaya fashion week appearance is always buzz-worthy — I don’t make the rules. But her outfit to attend the Louis Vuitton show — a plunging white zipper dress with a major thigh-slit moment — is one of her best yet.

At Undercover, three dresses included a hidden feature, unlocked only under dim lighting. Their skirts housed glowing terrariums filled with real, live butterflies. It was a fantastical PFW moment for the books.

L’Oreal assembled the most star-studded cast to model in the brand’s Le Défilé L'Oréal Paris Walk Your Worth show. The likes of Elle Fanning, Helen Mirren, Eva Longoria, Andie McDowell, Viola Davis, and Camila Cabello walked the runway, while supermodel Kendall Jenner closed it.

Wearing socks with heels was already a divisive style choice back in 2010. At PFW, Givenchy just gave the combination a high-fashion update, layering sheer socks over heels.

Meanwhile, in Balmain’s front row, Kim Cattrall wore an impossibly chic patent leather co-ord set. Her appearance sent fashion Twitter into a tizzy, especially since it was so Samantha Jones-coded.

Rick Owens always bring the theatrics. This season, the label turned to what can only be described as post-apocalyptic dressing. The collection was lined with utilitarian jumpsuits that cover the body completely (including sheer, beekeeping-style masks) and ensembles with horned shoulders.

Even the set — stone steps cloaked in vibrant, dual-colored smoke clouds — could have been straight out of a scene from The Last of Us. It was ominous in the best way.

Paris Hilton, one of the biggest Y2K style stars, proved once again that her fashion legacy endures. At Mugler, the Simple Life alum made a surprise cameo on the catwalk in a mini dress that featured major thigh cut-outs and massive, boxy shoulders.

Hilton continued to make the rounds for the rest of PFW, sitting front row at both Chanel and Miu Miu.

Chloé put on a literal celebration to commemorate Gabriela Hearst’s final collection. Members of Rio de Janeiro’s Mangueira samba school kicked off the joyous goodbye with a lively performance. Hearst herself joined in on the fun, dancing along with the models and performers.

To have a runway show opened by Naomi Campbell, closed by Paloma Elsesser, and styled by Vogue’s Gabriella Karefa-Johnson is something most fashion designers aspire to their entire career. Torishéju Dumi, however, made her debut with all of the above.

Showing her first-ever collection — traditional workwear with an avant-garde twist — on the last day of PFW was quite the coup. The British-Nigerian-Brazilian creative left the fashion set buzzing long after fashion month wrapped.