The most talked-about moments of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2016

paris fashion week spring 2016 moments
Photography by Patrick Kovarik/AFP/GettyImages

This season, much has been said about the spectacle of the fashion show. Does it overshadow the clothes? Do we even need it at all? Of course, a lot of this conversation was started by Tom Ford’s choice to buck his usual fashion week presentation for a music video featuring his complete Spring 2016 collection and Lady Gaga’s latest song. But meanwhile, there was still plenty to write home about from Paris Fashion Week; all of ‘em spectacles. Here’s your cheat sheet:

Vetements

The energy surrounding a designer on the rise is always contagious, but this season’s Vetements show, which took place in a Chinese restaurant, was next level. From Kanye in the front row to the models’ rapid stomps (actually let’s just call it speed walking on crack), the show will now be known as the last before designer Demna Gvasalia was plucked from relative obscurity to be appointed the next creative director of Balenciaga.

Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld has become the king of the spectacle, with his OTT interactive presentations taking over the Grand Palais season after season. This time, he transformed the space into an airport, with models traipsing through the Cambon terminal in his chic new wears. For the finale, Cara Delevingne hopped up from her gate-side seat, escorting the Kaiser for his bow with Hudson Kroenig, model Brad Koenig’s 6-year-old son, in tow.

Rick Owens

Owens has a knack for using the body in, shall we say, active ways, and Spring’s “carry your bestie over your shoulders” M.O. was no exception. The designer is said to have been thinking about the strength of women when he instructed models to carry one another down the runway. Let’s think of it as the new best friends necklace.

Dior

Showgoers were greeted with a mountain of delphiniums upon entering Raf Simons’ latest show for Dior. The designer has a thing for larger than life florals, an effect he launched with his first collection for the house back in 2012. But the repetition was no less effective, as it formed the perfect backdrop for his delicate South of France-inspired collection.

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Balenciaga

Alexander Wang is famous for his gleeful post-show bows. He celebrated his last collection for Balenciaga by selfie-ing his way down the aisle while dancing to “California Love.”

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