Small shows were the top trend at Paris Fashion Week

Paris – The main event of the month-long show marathon, Paris Fashion Week introduced three of the hottest tickets of the season, with new designers bowing at Tom Ford, Doris Van Nouten and Givenchy. Is it a snag? Only a handful were there to see it.

Certainly, the trend that gained the front row was not the big shoulders, but the small show venues.

Sarah Burton unveiled Givenchy’s debut ready-made collection at the historic salon of the Avenue George V brand, with two shows, each with 300 guests.

Dries Van Noten invited just under 400 people to see Julian Klausner’s debut at Opéra Garnier. Meanwhile, Haider Ackermann reminded him of his private members’ club with low lighting, luxurious seating and powerful dry martini at the Pavillon Vendôme.

Even brands with large venues worked to create a rare atmosphere like Dior.

“If you’re going to grow, you have to do it like Dior, like you have this theatre vibe – not theatre, but not the circus.”

“It’s not a moment for the circus,” he slowly added, referring to the prospects of luxury brands navigating sluggish demand amid rising economic and political uncertainty.

While budget cuts may seem like the most obvious explanation for the switch to smaller venues, it’s not just that, according to Pascalmoland, executive president of the French fashion governing body of fashion.

“Because there is an economies of scale, there is no proportionality as we are not convinced of the budgetary argument. Having 800 guests doesn’t cost four times the cost of over 200 guests,” he reasoned.

Rather, he pointed out that designers were trying to create exclusiveness, particularly the sense of someone they had first shown in the French capital.

“This physical intimacy reflects the desire to create a form of intimacy related to quality and know-how,” Morland compared it to the exclusiveness of haute couture in maids.

“Today, personalization, know-how and uniqueness are three important traits not only for fashion, but for all sectors, and haute couture represents the pinnacle. This applies to the experience of the show itself,” he added.

Personal near me

Lucian Paguez, PR Maven who has been responsible for shows for brands such as St. Laurent, Cia Parelli, Kors and Nina Rich, agreed. He directed the smallest show ever this year on Jaquemas. This unveiled its Spring 2025 collection during Boys Fashion Week in January at two shows with 45 guests each.

“It’s not that they don’t want to invite more people. They really wanted to put it in the Auguste Pellet apartment,” he said, referring to the Art Deco architects, whose historic residence provided the background to the event, and the Art Deco architects attended by Pamela Anderson, K-pop star Honjon and former French first lady Cara Bruni.

“Shows are always expensive, whether they get bigger or smaller,” Pagès added, adding that larger events aren’t necessarily expensive. “We do very big shows at times.

Instead, he believes the current round of cost-cutting is consistent with a move in favour of a unique venue, as closed Paris shows a calendar fueling competition for the location.

“This is a mix of financial reasons and trends towards salon-style shows. There’s this return of couture spirit, allowing you to see clothes close up in an intimate environment, and in some brands, they’re linked to the venue for technical reasons,” he explained.

Louis Vuitton, for example, performed the show in a specially constructed space next to Gare du Nord. Creative Director Nicholas Guesquière, in collaboration with stage designer Es Devlin, transformed the courtyard of an unused office building into a sophisticated railway station waiting room.

Only one editor was invited per publication, causing far more dissatisfaction among the town’s press for the show.

Brian Gray Yanbao, an influencer known as Brian Boy, said that this trend was nothing new, but it certainly stands out this season.

“Solids have been diluted in the pack, so to speak, over the past few seasons, but not limited to this season. I think the reason it’s getting a lot of attention this time is because some blue chips show a cut in the list,” he said.

Alaïa, The Row, Schiaparelli, Kenzo and Saint Laurent were also among many brands that restrict attendance. Downsizing has been extended to the influencer set.

“Many of the regular ‘million followers’ girls lack in the show. But once again, some brands have doubled their influencer invitations – Miu Miu felt like Influencer Central – and that makes absolutely sense.

Million Dollar Tickets

Then there’s the client. Consulting firm Bain & Company is more important than ever, as the luxury sector reports that it has lost 50 million ambitious clients in two years by repeatedly raising prices and courting VICS.

“Back in the dark ages, haute couture clients were prioritized. Today, VICS and VVVVICS are everything. We’ve seen this shift after the destination pandemic.”

“These Vics spend hundreds of thousands of euros to be invited to millions of shows, with millions of millions! And we understand why brands prioritize the press and influencers in these tough times.

“But I like the idea of ​​intimate shows. If you’re going to cut it, it’s great. Otherwise, that doesn’t matter either. It’s always a privilege to be in the room to see all the magic and I’m very grateful to have seen so many incredible shows in the past.

Morand agreed that Paris’s media impact values ​​(MIV) were measured by LaunchMetrics.

“We’re really on the dimensions of these twins. The house knows that just because they limit the audience for the show doesn’t mean it’s not that it’s not that it’s not that it’s seen very widely. There’s 200 people in the room and 100 million people online,” he said.

The first data will back up this. Tom Ford, Dryce Noten and Givenchy all benefited from the show’s talk, with MIV increasing by 215%, 45% and 96% respectively, compared to the fall 2024 season.

Unique metrics track the impact of relevant media placement on online, social and print.

“We saw 23% less events this season based on data from the Launch Metrics event, which bolsters 85% of the show’s show, but the impact of the show continued to grow,” says Alison Bringé, who recorded a 53% increase in MIV over the past year on Paris Fashion Week alone.

“As the brand takes a more strategic approach to seating, it ensures that maximizing visibility for all guests is more important than ever. To stay ahead, the brand needs to have a clear understanding of which voices drive performance, so when it comes to the last few seats, you need to know exactly who will have the best impact,” Bringé said.

LaunchMetrics introduces new features within the tool that assigns MIVs to celebrities, media and influencers, allowing brands to use their data to decide who will make the final cut.

– Contributions from Lily Templeton