In an incredible spectacle a la Baz Luhrmann set against the stunning backdrop of Paris’ Place Vendome, Vogue World staged a runway show to remember. The star-studded event was an intersection of French fashion, global sports, and a century of mesmerizing Olympic memories, no small feat to commemorate 100 years since the last Paris-hosted Olympic Games in 1924 and harken to June 23, 1894, when the founder of the modern Olympics, French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin, brought the International Olympic Committee to life.
Aya Nakamura serenaded the audience, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid were on horseback, while Venus and Serena Williams and Katy Perry strutted their stuff. It combined the charm of a lavish Broadway production with the grace of an elegant runway show, truly on par with an international event that the world looks forward to every four years.
The enchanting soirée shined a spotlight on different sports, aligning each of them with different fashion eras, awashing Paris’ magnificent Place Vendome with a display of high fashion woven seamlessly with themes of global athleticism.
For this third Vogue World spectacle, following a New York street fair in 2022 and a tribute to London’s theatre scene in 2023, the event seemed to synchronize perfectly with the forthcoming Paris Games, invoking a sense of patriotism for France while maintaining its very fashion-forward approach. Amid red-wine-sipping waiters, tap-dancing performers, and models parading around with baguette in hand, designers, athletes, and fashion lovers mingled.
Each decade was represented in fabulous fashion. The ‘20s bore white coats designed by fashion titans such as Chanel and Schiaparelli. The ’30s sported track and field wears designed by Balenciaga. The ‘40s, the era which introduced us to iconic swimwear, saw aquatics-themed pieces from Jacquemus. The ‘50s mesmerized everyone with Dior’s New Look while the ‘60s exploded with Courreges’ fencing styles.
Givenchy spearheaded the ‘70s with a gymnastics theme. Some journalists were so awed by the spectacle that they stopped taking notes. As for the ’80s and ’90s, these decades gave a nod to martial arts and soccer respectively, culminating with a tennis spectacle from the dynamic Williams sisters and an electrifying finale punctuated with breakdancing.
In some other highlight, the Japanese brand Sacai revealed its latest collection at the recently renovated La Poste du Louvre. Spearheaded by Chitose Abe, Sacai’s offerings blur the lines between the traditional and the modern, the classical and the unconventional.
Despite our age of digitization, the fashion world seems to be unwavering in its reliance on handmade show invites delivered by couriers who zigzag their way across Paris. However, in a nod to their ecological mindfulness, Vogue World turned the tables by sending a simple QR code via email.
In culmination, the show by South Korean designer Madame Woo of Wooyoungmi showcased a fusion of European elegance and Korean aesthetics. This season’s eclecticism, interspersed with cultural references, was an intriguing blend of past and present, East and West, rendering the show a stirring testimonial to her artistry.
The entire event proved that when it comes to the world of fashion, eclecticism, opulence, and a splash of the unexpected, make for an epic spectacle. After all, whether on a global runway or an international sports arena, the world is indeed a stage.
