Elie Saab Unveils Luxurious Safari Chic Spring Collection in Paris

Lebanese designer Elie Saab unveiled his spring collection on Saturday at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo, elevating the concept of safari chic to luxurious while keeping the camp firmly in check.

Here are some highlights of Saturday's ready-to-wear collections:

Elie Saab takes us on a sultry journey

Saab’s collection blew away any expectations of colonial nostalgia, just like the harmattan gusts he drew inspiration from. Instead, what we got was a mesmerizing journey through the African savannah that felt fresh, vibrant, and completely devoid of tired clichés. This was no ordinary safari chic—Saab took the concept and injected it with his signature luxury, letting it roar in all the right ways while keeping the camp firmly in check.

Right from the start, Saab showed he wasn’t afraid to play with the safari staples—but with a twist. Safari suits, reimagined as roomy linen separates and sleek crepe jumpsuits, traded their usual khaki for the blazing red of fireball lilies, moody elephant gray, and the ochre dust of West Africa. It was a palette that brought the raw, natural beauty of the continent to life without falling into the predictable tropes. These looks weren’t the romanticized garb of the intrepid explorer; they were effortlessly chic, perfectly fitted for today’s cosmopolitan adventurer.

Then came the raffia—oh, the raffia! Saab worked magic with this plant fiber, weaving it into low-slung skirts and minidresses with faint bubble hems that felt light and breezy, yet utterly luxurious. It also made an appearance as fern embroideries on floor-grazing tulle gowns, adding texture and depth that felt delightfully organic. It was these delicate, thoughtful touches that took this collection beyond just a thematic exercise and elevated it to something exquisite.

Hermes’ gentle geometry

Vanhee-Cybulski’s Hermes collection reimagined spring with a palette of warm golden beiges and earthy autumnal hues, a bold choice that immediately set the collection apart. Gentle geometry shaped the garments — myriad squares and architectural forms that fused seamlessly with Hermes signature minimalism. This interplay was reinforced by the striking wooden backdrop, enhancing the atmosphere of sophisticated restraint.

Vanhee-Cybulski leaned into a refined sensuality with sheer mesh trousers that transformed at a flick of a zip and featherweight leather jackets that seemed almost ethereal. These pieces paired athletic ease with luxury, demonstrating her skill in blending delicacy with bold, structured shapes. Utilitarian details, like buckled belts and boxy, pocket-laden shirts, underscored the collection’s grounding in practicality, even amid its more daring expressions of sensuality.

Throughout, Vanhee-Cybulski captured the lightness that spring calls for—luxurious reinterpretations of Hermes’ iconic silk scarves, transformed into breezy shirtdresses and rompers, embodied a carefree spirit ready for sunlit escapes. Warm neutrals dominated, echoing a feeling of being sun-soaked, while her activewear-inspired pieces conveyed a relaxed, summer-ready attitude without compromising on elegance.

The footwear, always a standout for Hermes, carried this ethos further. Sleek riding boots offered a solid foundation to the collection’s grounded luxury, while clog sandals brought a playful, modern twist.

Westwood's controlled chaos

Vivienne Westwood’s spirit lived on in Paris this season, as Andreas Kronthaler brought a masterful interplay of rebellion, history, and glam rock energy to the runway. The spring collection opened with sparkling pants paired with a silky blue bodice, a nod to the late designer’s love of bold, unexpected contrasts—a brilliant start that practically screamed rock ‘n’ roll chic. Kronthaler clearly hasn’t lost his taste for the dramatic, diving headfirst into the kind of fierce, confrontational style that made Westwood an icon.

A giant silver chain, dangling almost absurdly to the model’s knees, set the tone: a clear statement of raw, unapologetic power, in course with the punk ethos of the 80s that still courses through this house’s veins. And there, of course, were the signature Westwood suits and Grecian-style draped dresses—classic shapes that carried a dynamic energy and timeless rebellion, reminiscent of the archival references that have defined Kronthaler’s tenure. These silhouettes bore the same sense of timeless radicalism seen in Kronthaler’s reinterpretations of Westwood’s personal wardrobe last fall, where each garment seemed to transcend fleeting trends.

Clashing checks—a staple of the Westwood lexicon—made their mark, giving the collection an urban, gritty edge that felt distinctly true to the house’s rebellious spirit.

Whimsy had its moment in the shape of a giant tulle headpiece, soaring high and embodying an ’80s bridal punk vision—a dizzying height of contradiction that no one but Westwood’s house could make look so irreverently sophisticated. This playful chaos echoed past seasons, where Kronthaler has embraced an eclectic mishmash of themes—from historical doublets to modern macramé cloaks. This time, however, there was a sense of restraint. It was a more controlled affair, one that saw Kronthaler tightening his narrative, perhaps reflecting a shift toward emotional homage rather than spectacle alone.

Hollywood stars braved the rain to open Paris Fashion Week at L'Oreal's giant outdoor show Monday as rumors swirl of musical chairs at the top of fabled French brands.
The cosmetics giant persuaded Jane Fonda -- in snazzy silver sneakers -- Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria and several of its other brand ambassadors to walk in a spectacular public show in front of the gilded glory of the Opera Garnier.
With invites to the big luxury shows strictly limited to the glitterati and fashion insiders, L'Oreal said it wanted to democratize the glamor of fashion week.
Introduced by singer Celine Dion, the "Walk Your Worth" show also featured Andie MacDowell, Indian star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, models with prosthetic limbs and Brazilian supermodel Luma Grothe proudly showing off her bump.
"The idea is to let the public see for themselves the beautiful clothes, settings and people that they would never normally have access to," L'Oreal's Paris director general Delphine Viguier told AFP.
Fashion's young guard had earlier endured a stormy start to the nine-day extravaganza -- Rising French star Victor Weinsanto staged his spring-summer show on the wet and windy roof of the Pompidou Centre museum, his fishnet and mesh ensembles created around Croatian drag queen Le Filip being tested by the elements.
The Paris shows started as falling profits at the two luxury giants LVMH and Kering have sent a shudder through the industry, fueling talk of a "Game of Thrones" among top designers.
Celine's Hedi Slimane and Simon Porte Jacquemus -- the young French designer who made tiny handbags and tiny everything else a thing -- are being talked of to fill Karl Lagerfeld's empty chair at Chanel after Virginie Viard, who took the reins after the death of "the Kaiser" in 2019, bowed out in June.
Hotly anticipated
Tongues are also likely to wag at the spring-summer shows over where John Galliano might go, with his contract at Maison Margiela nearing its end.
The first shows from the big-hitter French houses will come Tuesday with Dior and Saint Laurent, with a packed calendar confirming Paris's crushing dominance over rivals Milan, New York and London.
And there is no let-up at the end: Chanel opens the final day on October 1 by returning to the vast Grand Palais, the scene of some of Lagerfeld's most jaw-dropping shows, after an absence of four years.
The house is shelling out 30 million euros ($33 million) to stage its shows at the iconic Belle Epoque edifice, which reopened after a major facelift to host fencing and taekwondo at the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games.
With Viard -- long Lagerfeld's right-hand woman -- gone, observers expect a collection drawn from Chanel classics.
In contrast, there could well be fireworks from Alessandro Michele, the mercurial Italian designer who transformed Gucci, who may be keen to make his mark with his debut show for Valentino.
Equally anticipated is French duo Coperni, who are staging their show at Disneyland Paris on the final night, with an after party in the theme park that promises to go on into the wee hours.
The brand's founders, Arnaud Vaillant and Sebastien Meyer, pulled off a coup with their outfit for Belgian singer Angele for the Olympics closing ceremony, and are clearly in a mood to celebrate.
Another hot duo, the Olsen twins, the Los Angeles child actors turned designers, have kept their place for their luxury line The Row in fashion week proper thanks to a cash injection from the owners of Chanel and L'Oreal.
Paris will, however, be without Givenchy this time, with its new British designer Sarah Burton, a stalwart at Alexander McQueen for a quarter of a century, just made creative director.

Elie Saab Unveils Luxurious Safari Chic Spring Collection in Paris