Paris Fashion Week highlights: Teddies, Kids and a Phone Ban

A Ronaldo jersey becomes a dress at Vetements. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP
A Ronaldo jersey becomes a dress at Vetements. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP
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Paris Fashion Week highlights: Teddies, Kids and a Phone Ban

A Ronaldo jersey becomes a dress at Vetements. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP
A Ronaldo jersey becomes a dress at Vetements. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Paris Fashion Week, which runs until Tuesday, has seen no shortage of eye-catching moments this week. Here are a few highlights.
No phones?!?
OMG! Fashionistas at The Row's show were told they were not allowed to use their beloved phones, meaning entire minutes of their lives would go unrecorded on Instagram.
The label of TV star sisters Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen instead offered guests a notebook and pencil to record their impressions the old-fashioned way.
Chloe's new mama
There was a rare moment of spontaneity and family love at Chloe, where German designer Chemena Kamali made her debut with a collection that returned to the 1970s heyday of the house.
When Kamali came to take the customary bow at the end of the show, her five-year-old son couldn't resist running onto the catwalk for a hug in front of the ranks of fashion elite. Surprised and delighted, Kamali took him in her arms before quickly passing him back to dad and rushing backstage.
PETA's Beckham protest
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) disrupted Victoria Beckham's show on Friday, with slogans including "Viva Vegan Leather" and "Animals Aren't Fabric" before being bundled quickly off the catwalk.
Teddy Boy
Vetements, the subversive brand launched in 2014, vowed its latest show was the one "you've been waiting for for 10 years", and drew attention with hugely oversized suits and a Ronaldo jersey turned into a dress.
One crazy look was a coat made of teddy bears. Was creative director Guram Gvasalia having a dig at his estranged brother Demna, who quit the brand to work for Balenciaga and had a huge controversy around an ad campaign featuring BDSM teddy bears?
Perhaps, though Vogue pointed out it was a direct copy from Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who made a similar coat for Madonna.
Highland Sam Smith
British popstar Sam Smith made a surprise appearance on the catwalk for Vivienne Westwood in a very short and rather revealing tartan kilt under a red shawl.
The "Unholy" singer, known for daring red carpet outfits, re-emerged later in a long shredded black coat over a polka-dot top.
Casablanca up in arms
Charaf Tajer's label, which joined Paris Fashion Week last year, has built a lot of hype with its luxury sportswear.
Its second show, named after 90s Bjork hit "Venus as a Boy", introduced more stylish nightwear -- ranging from a blood-red cocktail dress to a semi-sheer rhinestone blouse to a pearl-encrusted mini-dress -- and played with imagery from Ancient Greece including laurels, pottery and sandals.
But in the ring of the Winter Circus, the clothes were almost overshadowed by an incredible troupe of synchronized arm dancers in the background.
DVN's 'audacious everyday'
Known for meticulous craftsmanship, Belgium's Dries Van Noten presented another eclectic collection that spawned a possible new trend tag from WWD: "audacious everyday" has apparently replaced last year's "quiet luxury".
Deconstructed sweaters turned into wraparound shawls, kimono-like coats, big furry shorts and bags -- in a pastel range of pink, aniseed green and butter yellow -- the collection sought a balance between stylish restraint and exciting statement.
Raining on Hermes
It was a rainy week in Paris, and Hermes brought the wet indoors, too, with a curtain of rain pouring down through the middle of the catwalk.
The collection, "midway between equestrianism and motorbikes" according to creative director Nadege Vanhee, offered luxurious ways to keep dry.

Biker-style jackets and tight-fitting coats with wool sleeves. Others featured rocker-style rivets or ostrich feathers, all in a narrow palette of burgundy, green, black and grey.



Pieter Mulier Named Creative Director of Versace

(FILES) Pieter Mulier attends the 2025 CFDA Awards at The American Museum of Natural History on November 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
(FILES) Pieter Mulier attends the 2025 CFDA Awards at The American Museum of Natural History on November 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
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Pieter Mulier Named Creative Director of Versace

(FILES) Pieter Mulier attends the 2025 CFDA Awards at The American Museum of Natural History on November 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
(FILES) Pieter Mulier attends the 2025 CFDA Awards at The American Museum of Natural History on November 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Belgian fashion designer Pieter Mulier has been named the new creative director of the Milan fashion house Versace starting July 1, according to an announcement on Thursday from the Prada Group, which owns Versace.

Mulier is currently creative director of the French fashion house Alaïa, and was previously the right-hand man of fellow Belgian designer and Prada co-creative director Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, Jil Sander and Dior.

In his new role, Mulier will report to Versace executive chairman Lorenzo Bertelli, the designated successor to manage the family-run Prada Group. Bertelli is the son of Miuccia Prada and Prada Group chairman Patrizio Bertelli.

“We believe that he can truly unlock Versace’s full potential and that he will be able to engage in a fruitful dialogue,’’ The Associated Press quoted Lorenzo Bertelli as saying of Mulier in a statement.

Mulier takes over from Dario Vitale, who departed in December after previewing just one collection during his short-lived Versace stint.

Mulier was honored last fall by supermodel and longtime Alaïa muse Naomi Campbell at the Council of Fashion Designers of America for his work paying tribute to brand founder Azzedine Alaïa. Mulier took the creative helm in 2021, after Alaïa’s death.


Ralph Lauren’s Margin Caution Eclipses Stronger‑than‑expected Quarterly Results

Guests wait after viewing the latest Ralph Lauren collection in New York City, US, April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File photo
Guests wait after viewing the latest Ralph Lauren collection in New York City, US, April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File photo
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Ralph Lauren’s Margin Caution Eclipses Stronger‑than‑expected Quarterly Results

Guests wait after viewing the latest Ralph Lauren collection in New York City, US, April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File photo
Guests wait after viewing the latest Ralph Lauren collection in New York City, US, April 17, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File photo

Ralph Lauren posted third-quarter results above Wall Street estimates on Thursday, but the luxury retailer's warning of margin pressure tied to US tariffs sent its shares down nearly 6.4% in premarket trading.

The company expects fourth-quarter margins, its smallest revenue period, to shrink about 80 to 120 basis points due to higher tariff pressure and marketing spend.

Ralph Lauren, which sources its products from regions such as China, India and Vietnam, has relied on raising prices and reallocating production to regions with lower duty exposure to offset US tariff pressures, Reuters reported.

"Ralph Lauren has been able to raise prices for some time now. There is some limit on how long it can continue to do this. I think (the company's) gross margins are near peak levels," Morningstar analyst David Swartz said.

The company, which sells $148 striped linen shirts and $498 leather handbags, has tightened inventory, lifted full-price sales and refreshed core styles, boosting its appeal among wealthier and younger customers, including Gen Z.

Higher-income households are still splurging on luxury items, travel and restaurant meals, while lower- and middle-income consumers are strained by higher costs for rents and food as well as a softer job market.

The New York City-based company saw quarterly operating costs jump 12% year-on-year as it ramped up brand building efforts through sports-focused brand campaigns such as Wimbledon and the US Open tennis championship.

The luxury retailer said revenue in the quarter ended December 27 rose 12% to $2.41 billion, above analysts' estimates of a 7.9% rise to $2.31 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

It earned $6.22 per share, excluding items, compared to expectations of $5.81, aided by a 220 basis points increase in margins and an 18% rise in average unit retail across its direct-to-consumer channel.

Ralph Lauren now expects fiscal 2026 revenue to rise in the high single to low double digits on a constant currency basis, up from its prior forecast of a 5% to 7% growth.


Saudi Fashion Commission, Kering Launch 'Kering Generation Award X MENA'

This year's award builds on the strong success of the 2025 award, which attracted more than 500 applications, shortlisted 21 finalists, and recognized three winners. SPA
This year's award builds on the strong success of the 2025 award, which attracted more than 500 applications, shortlisted 21 finalists, and recognized three winners. SPA
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Saudi Fashion Commission, Kering Launch 'Kering Generation Award X MENA'

This year's award builds on the strong success of the 2025 award, which attracted more than 500 applications, shortlisted 21 finalists, and recognized three winners. SPA
This year's award builds on the strong success of the 2025 award, which attracted more than 500 applications, shortlisted 21 finalists, and recognized three winners. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission and global luxury group Kering have launched the "Kering Generation Award X MENA" across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for 2026.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during the opening of the RLC Global Forum, hosted at the French Embassy in Riyadh.

This year's award builds on the strong success of the 2025 award, which attracted more than 500 applications, shortlisted 21 finalists, and recognized three winners.

Participants benefited from mentorship programs, workshops, and opportunities to strengthen their global presence. Building on this momentum, the 2026 program seeks to expand its impact across the MENA region.

The 2026 award focuses on four key areas of sustainable fashion: innovation in regenerative materials and clean production, circular design and sustainable business models, nature conservation and animal welfare, and consumer awareness and cultural engagement.

The program targets startups across the MENA region that operate in, or positively influence, the sustainable fashion sector, provided they demonstrate innovation capabilities and the ability to deliver measurable sustainability outcomes.