Key colors at Paris Fashion Week FW24: Khaki, a neutral pink and shades of green

Noir Valentino

Valentino Garavani was well known for using a distinctive color of red in his design and ‘Valentino Red’ is officially recognized by color specialist, Pantone.

Since he became the designer of the Valentino brand in 2008, Pierpaolo Piccioli has also made good use of the shade. However, for FW24, he went in a new direction, executing a collection that was rendered entirely in black. According to the Valentino show notes, he quoted Charles Baudelaire, saying that “Le noir est l’uniforme de la démocratie” (black is the uniform of democracy).

Piccioli further explained that black is “a color of the everyday, here black is amplified, used to recontextualize the signs and signifiers of Valentino - rosettes, ruffles, embroideries, lace. Day and evening blur together, precious silhouettes and embellishments are given new reality, relatability. As you can say ‘Rosso Valentino’, we may say ‘Noir Valentino.’”

The Black and Tans

French heritage brands revisited classic neutral colors, particularly the khaki shades associated with trenches and tailoring. It tapped into the current consumer demand for seasonless core items. Designers most often used it in conjunction with black.

Balmain: designer, Olivier Rousteing

Look 2: a khaki cropped jacket with trench coat details and a matching skirt over pants was shown over black underpinnings. The gold buttons and belt buckle had engraved snail shells and the black bag had a grape charm. Both were a nod to the designers’ childhood home of Bordeaux.

Christian Dior: designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri

Look 3: a khaki DB trench coat with a self-belt emblazoned with the ‘Miss Dior’ handwritten logo over black underpinnings and accessories, including a hat with a high crown, woven leather satchel and patent ankle strap shoes.

Coperni: designer, Arnaud Vaillant

Look 4: a khaki DB trench coat was reimagined as a bodysuit and accessorized with black sunglasses, black sheer hose and black patent pumps. The model carried a micro handbag in a Ziploc evidence bag, part of the show’s sci-fi theme and a reference to the iconic TV show, The X-Files.

Sun Dawei

Look 17: a two-tone khaki colored deconstructed wool cardigan in cable and ladder stitches matched to a corduroy skirt with a quilted lining. Black hose and pearl grey pumps completed the look.

Giambattista Valli

Look 28: a khaki-colored short canvas jacket embellished with bouquets of stenciled florals in white, four bellows pockets and a buckled collar. It was shown with aviator glasses with black frames and orange tinted lenses and black platform sandals with metallic straps.

In The Pink

After a season or two of ‘Barbie’ pink, a more neutral tone of the feminine color emerges. Pink has come to represent the ‘‘soft power’ of women and is perhaps a reflection of the burgeoning trend for body revealing and body positive styles.

Nicky Zimmermann

Look 19: a light pink heathered tweed oversized smock top with huge bow at the neck over matching flared pants, a silk printed neck scarf and large gold earrings finished the look.

Stella McCartney

Look 1: a pale pink faux fur floor-length coat over a two-piece gabardine suit in a matching color and black pumps.

Chanel: designer, Virginie Viard

Look 13: Influenced by early seventies style that nodded toward the twenties, the designer showed a pink and green bouclé tweed two-piece suit. The jacket had an asymmetric button-up and the pants had cuffs. Accessories included a huge pink straw hat, mini-sized chain handle bag and an olive green belt.

Alaia: designer, Pieter Mulier

Look 7: a pale pink cocoon coat in merino wool over pale pink underpinnings and white strappy sandals.

Rubin Singer

Look 21: a highly detailed neutral pink zip-up jacket with a ‘Puritan’ collar over a pale pink diaphanous chiffon dress and pink patent pumps.

Mixed Greens

In something of a departure from designers in other cities, designers used a variety of bright green shades. They range from those that are nature-inspired to neon hues as seen on screen.

Akris: designer, Albert Kriemler

Look 48: a chiffon long sleeved blouse in ombré acid green to emerald green and matching full pants and a metallic green clutch and pumps.

Pierre Cardin: designer, Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin

Look 30: a bright grass green jacket with a stand-up collar, caped shoulders and white piping. It was shown with neon green pants also with white piping.

Miu Miu: designer, Miuccia Prada

Look 32: a neon green shift dress decorated with hot pink blooms was accessorized by brown gauntlets in croc print leather and brown leather satchel. Black sunglasses, a grey wool scarf and black Mary-Janes completed the look.

Off-White: designer, Ibrahim Kamara

Look 2: a military jacket in olive green with a neon faux fur collar and cuffs had crisscross straps meant to mirror the brand’s arrow logo. There were also matching cargo pants and a fur trimmed ‘apron.’ Accessories included mirrored aviators.

Lacoste: designer, Pelagia Kolotouros

Look 3: a bright green blanket with a dark green trim and yellow design was shown over a black athletic jacket with a bright green trim and black leggings. Black sneakers and black and green sport socks accessorized the look.