Fall 2014 Preview: The top 34 moments from fashion week in New York, London, Milan and Paris

NEW YORK
—Randi Bergman, executive digital editor

Biggest “wow” moment: Prime seating at Victoria Beckham meant catching the designer’s hubby, David, and their troop of perfectly coiffed offspring taking selfies.

Most wanted: 3.1 Phillip Lim’s lavender shearling bomber—perfect for pounding the pavement between shows.

Reality star turned runway model Kendall Jenner made her fashion week debut at Marc Jacobs.

Sweetest swag: Opening Ceremony took its collection’s inspiration—Antwerp—to the next level with Belgian chocolate literally melting on the walls and takeaway thermoses of frothy white hot chocolate.

Best show: Altuzarra, for making an Andrew Lloyd Webber reference possible with his intarsia plaid mink jacket splashed with several hot hues.

Oh Canada: Chris Gelinas, the 30-year-old Ontario talent, turned his MADE for Peroni Young Designer Award winnings into an impossibly perfect Fall 2014 collection of sporty futuristic staples and vintage-inspired silhouettes.

Modern society swans will be buzzing about 29-year-old up-and-comer Rosie Assoulin, who debuted her line of occasion wear (think floor-grazing mannish topcoats and cashmere looks paired with sweeping silk sashes) this season.

DKNY created a Freaky Friday moment by casting notables to walk the show rather than perch front row. Standouts included DJs Hannah Bronfman and Chelsea Leyland and the It girl of the week, rapper Angel Haze.

LONDON
—Zeina Esmail, fashion editor at large

Everyone was talking about… Whether Anna Wintour would opt for a 1,000-pound car ride to London after inclement weather diverted her flight to Newcastle.

Hottest off-the-runway invite: Mulberry and Brit model Cara Delevingne’s bag launch at Claridge’s. These three-in-one accessories (think backpack to shoulder to hand-held) are headline makers, kind of like little Miss D.

Biggest “wow” moment: The Burberry Bonanza.
From the crushing crowd outside Kensington Gardens waiting to glimpse A-listers like Bradley Cooper to the performances by Paloma Faith and Rhodes to the models’ monogrammed blanket ponchos, there’s only one word: epic.

Over-40 model moment: Nineties grunge It girl Kirsten Owen owned the runway at Mary Katrantzou, proving that some things, like supermodels, are always in style.

Best swag : The manicures and glam goodies from Ladurée and M.A.C, courtesy of the London Fashion Week press team, had frenzied editors saying there’s no place like ohm.

The worst venue award goes to The Old Sorting Office. Navigating several flights of stairs multiple times in killer heels gave a whole new meaning to FEEL THE BURN.

Poshest invite: The London skyline (hello, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace) was given an ahhty pop-up
book treatment at Burberry Prorsum.

Most wanted: Erdem’s laser-cut gladiator dress, where fierce meets femme.

The look to leave to the pros: Thomas Tait’s superhero-style painted-on eye masks. Cape not included.

MILAN
—Bernadette Morra, editor-in-chief

Best diversion: Joining guests like Hilary Swank at the Salvatore Ferragamo Atelier exhibit, where designs originally created for Peggy Guggenheim, Mae West and Ingrid Bergman were on display.

Roberto Cavalli had models walk around a ring of fire; the tent quickly became a giant sauna.

Most baffling hair: The drenched look at Marni. When it comes to hair dryers, this fall unplugged is in.

Two days after Just Cavalli, blogger Chiara Ferragni was working look 22, the gold-fringed grommet jacket. The sidewalk really is the new runway.

Everyone was talking about… Jeremy Scott’s debut for Moschino—a hungry, exhausted crowd booed Katy Perry’s late arrival, then debated whether SpongeBob and McDonald’s golden arches would work as haute-priced ready-to-wear.

Etro’s silk seat cushion swag—a fashion week favourite, season after season.

Most wanted: A Prada shearling. Though the pieces look oversized and heavy, they are luxuriously light.

Biggest “wow” moment: The drone cams buzzing overhead at Fendi set the tone for a lighthearted collection that included a Karl Lagerfeld bag bug.

PARIS
—Caitlan Moneta, fashion market editor

Plus grand moment: Karl Lagerfeld’s glam Chanel grocery store at the Grand Palais. Models browsed the packed shelves, where over 100,000 items were featured, each with a customized double C label. La Plus Belle Poubelle garbage bags anyone?

Everyone was talking about… Nicolas Ghesquière’s debut collection for Louis Vuitton. “Today is a new day. A big day,” he wrote in his show notes.

Best set: Alexander McQueen’s barren landscape with rolling mist brought designer Sarah Burton’s “Wild Beauty” theme to life, with a side of spooky.

Best show: Sacai debuted its strongest collection to date, showcasing its mastery of the mixed material message.

Starriest front row: Miu Miu. Hot off their Oscar wins, Lupita Nyong’o and Jared Leto sat alongside Léa Seydoux, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Olsen and Elle Fanning.

Best swag: Chanel’s candy boxes at the show’s checkout counter. Miniature tweed jackets, No.5 bottles and camellias were spun in pastel sugar—talk about oui wonders.

Star Wars prints and celestial details are orbiting the fashion sphere this fall, but Akris really went to the outer limits with its constellation-inspired, LED-embedded embroideries.

Most wanted: Balenciaga’s layered totes.

Fresh face: Eighteen-year-old Polish beauty Ola Munik opened the Céline show on a worldwide exclusive.