Winter 2019-2020 Paris Looks Straight from the Catwalk

Last Updated:

7/31/2020

Capes, the eighties, or seasonal brights? As the temperatures fall, we’re looking back to Paris Fashion Week fashion for style cues. Here’s our round-up of the hottest trends seen on the runway for Fall-Winter 2019-2020… and beyond.

Parisian winter styles like fur coats by Sacai (left) and sheepskin by Isabel Marant (right) from Paris Fashion Week. — Sacai / Isabel Marant

French Madame at Balenciaga

Bourgeois is back. Ladylike styles made a welcome return to the catwalk during February’s Fall/Winter 2019 shows, breaking the stranglehold of streetwear over the past few seasons.

Two women at a Parisian bistro wearing red and black suits (left) and a man and woman sat on a bench wearing red and black from Paris Fashion Week by Balenciaga. — Balenciaga

As the weather turns cooler, think elegant shapes, a defined waist, knee-length skirts, and proper dressing for the season—layered polo necks, knee-high boots, and scarves tied just so. Balenciaga provided a bold, modern interpretation of the trend by updating classic shapes in bright colors, while fashion’s good girls hit the runway at Chloé and Saint Laurent gave this trend a rocker-chick edge.

Eighties Flashback at Isabel Marant

Chunky jumper held in by a belt (left) and maxi-dress with slouchy boots (right) are this winter's fashion looks from Paris. — Isabel Marant

Fashion loves a throwback and the 1980s are the decade that keeps on giving. The look is favored by Vogue Paris, and it’s also DNA for several Paris labels, from Saint Laurent’s super-short minis and sequins, to Giambattista Valli’s frothy flounces. Isabel Marant’s slouchy boots and raglan sweats have become a style perennial about town too.

Check Mate at Altuzarra

Chequered suits (left) and blazer-and-skirts (right) are this winter's fashion trend from Paris Fashion Week. — Altuzarra

Checks have come out of the office for fall, with tailored separates cropping up in the form of fluid pantsuits at Chanel and statement-shouldered jackets at Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. But at Altuzarra they really packed a punch, teamed with leather strapping for a sensual edge that accentuated the French designer’s skill at the cutting table.

Caped Crusaders at CELINE by Hedi Slimane

Capes are in this winter according to the fashion week trends. — CELINE by Hedi Slimane

The cape has become a modern fall staple, adding instant elegance with throw-on ease. Casual and poncho-style at Dior, square-shouldered and military-esque at Balmain, it was Hedi Slimane at CELINE who really cracked it, with an open, sweeping, go-anywhere camel cape that provided just the right amount of drama.

Cocooning Sheepskin at Sacai

Lots of fur and bohemian dresses are this winter's fashion trend( left) as well as white or black sneakers (right). — Sacai

The enveloping weight of shearling guarantees a cozy winter. Add bold details like buckles and cuff straps and you have the coat you’ll live in all season. Shearling was cropped at Hermès and 70s-style at CELINE by Hedi Slimane, but Chitose Abe at Sacai took things a step further by blending sheepskin with fur for a bolder way to keep warm this winter.

Bright Lights at Jacquemus

A black woman wearing a bright green blouse and skirt (left). A white woman wearing a bright red top and trousers (right), both by Jacquemus. — Jacquemus

Head-to-toe color made an uplifting statement for the dark days of fall, landing a body blow to seasonal shades of navy, black, and brown. Virgil Abloh’s gowns for Off-White created drama and Balenciaga’s acid-colored bourgeois ladies turned front-row heads, but it was Simon Porte Jacquemus who made the brightest—and most desirable—statement of the week.

WRITTEN BY

Kate Matthams

Kate is a British, Paris-based freelance writer and editorial consultant. When she’s not putting together digital media and communications strategies for companies large and small, the former editor of the international edition of Vogue.fr writes about lifestyle, culture and independent jewelry design for titles like Forbes and Hercules.