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Simultaneously with the pop star Taylor Swift, designer Sarah Burton stepped into her Showgirl phase. During her second presentation as the creative director of Givenchy, Burton heightened the intensity with collars adorned with sparkling rhinestones over collarbones, opulent peach-toned feather accents, a sleek and short cocktail dress in bold crimson leather, and Naomi Campbell in a tailored tuxedo blazer draped over a barely-there lace trim bra.

A New Identity

Burton has been at Givenchy less than a year, but Alexander McQueen’s long-term right-hand woman has quickly defined a unique persona for the house and for herself. The Givenchy label, the iconic residence of the actress Audrey Hepburn and the timeless black dress, has a flawless lineage of elegance that runs from Paris to Hollywood, but it is a relative minnow as a business. Previous designers at the house had primarily focused on urban fashion and functional metal embellishments, but Burton is reintroducing the allure.

"The goal was to create something erotic and sensual and to show skin," Burton noted backstage. "When we want to empower women, we often turn to masculine elements, but I wanted to examine feminine sensibility, and the act of dressing and undressing."

Subtle seduction was evident, too, in a dress shirt in butter soft white leather. "Each woman is unique," Burton stated. "Occasionally during casting, a model puts on an outfit and I can just tell that she is uncomfortable in high heels. Therefore, I adjust the outfit."

Return to Glamorous Events

Givenchy is reaffirming its position in high-profile occasion wear. Burton has styled actor Timothée Chalamet in a soft yellow tuxedo at the Academy Awards, and model Kaia Gerber in a vintage-feel ballerina gown of ebony lace at the Venice Film Festival.

Schiaparelli’s Artistic Comeback

The brand Schiaparelli, the surrealist fashion label, has been making a comeback under designer Daniel Roseberry from America. Next year, the V&A Museum will host the inaugural UK Schiaparelli showcase, exploring the work of Elsa Schiaparelli and the fashion house she established.

"Schiaparelli is not merely purchased, it becomes a collection," Roseberry declared backstage.

Those who don Schiaparelli need no showcase to tell them that these garments are artistic. Connection with the art world is good for the bottom line – apparel is priced like fine art, with jackets starting at about £5,000. And profits, as well as reputation, is on the up. The setting for the event was the Pompidou Centre in the French capital, an additional signal of how deeply this fashion house is connected to the arts.

Echoing Past Artistic Alliances

Roseberry reexamined one of the iconic joint efforts of Schiaparelli with artist Salvador Dalí, the 1938 dress named "Tears" which will appear in the V&A display. "This focused on revisiting the foundation of the brand," he noted.

The “rips” in the original were artistically applied, but for the updated version Roseberry cut into the crepe silk itself. In both designs, the shreds are hauntingly reminiscent of flayed flesh.

Surreal Elements and Menacing Charm

There is an edge of menace at Schiaparelli – Elsa referred to her mannequins, with their sharp shoulders and nipped-in waists, as her toy soldiers – as well as a joyful appreciation for humor. Buttons in the form of fingernails and metallic nose ornaments as earrings are the iconic symbolism of the house. The punchline of this show: fake fur crafted from paintbrushes.

Avant-garde themes emerge across modern style. Eggshell-inspired heels – treading carefully, get it? – were a sellout at the brand Loewe. Surrealist distorted timepieces have appeared on stage at the house of Moschino. But Schiaparelli owns this territory, and Roseberry commands it.

"Garments from Schiaparelli possess an extreme drama which dominates the space," he stated. A red gown was cut with a triangular panel of flesh-toned mesh that was positioned approximately where a pair of knickers should, in a head-swivelling illusion of nakedness. The tension between wearability and theatre is a key aspect of the event.

New York Designers in Paris

A carousel of creative director launches has introduced two New York favorites to Paris. The duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez have left behind the fashion house Proenza Schouler they created in 2002 to helm Loewe, the Spanish leather goods brand that evolved into a $1.5 billion powerhouse under the direction of Jonathan Anderson before he moved to Dior.

The Americans looked delighted to be in Paris. Vibrant Ellsworth Kelly hues brought a cheerful pop art vibe to the cultured artistic knowledge for which Loewe is currently known. Bright yellow loafers swayed their tassels like the fringe of Baker's costume; a red peplum jacket had the confident glossy contours of a condiment vessel. And a cocktail dress masquerading as a recently used bath sheet, plush as a newly washed cloth, found the perfect balance where innovative design intersects with stylish enjoyment.