The rise of unconventional venues in Parisian fashion shows
Paris – Empty offices and disused car parks are the new playgrounds for Parisian fashion shows. Favoured for their minimalist aesthetic, creative freedom, and attractive pricing, these raw spaces are increasingly popular venues.
“There has been a real trend in recent years to use raw spaces with nothing but load-bearing walls,” Rod Reynolds, a venue scout and head of the company Records Collection, told AFP.
Since 2017, he has sourced unconventional locations for houses such as Chloé, Victoria Beckham, and Stella McCartney. The brand Dries Van Noten is one of his loyal clients.
On Thursday evening, during men's fashion week, the Belgian brand presented its collection on the first floor of a building under construction in south Paris, a venue sourced by Reynolds.
Just a few days prior, the space was an empty 1,500 cubic metre platform, 80 metres long and five metres high. It featured exposed concrete beams, damaged walls, and a cracked floor.
On the day of the show, it was a different story. Large black curtains were hung on each side; one concealed the windows, while the other marked out the backstage area. Two rows of chairs lined the runway, with spotlights on the ceiling.
The irregularities in the floor, however, remained. “Mind the holes!” warned one of the guests.
Aesthetic and efficiency
Since Covid-19, demand for these types of venues has “exploded,” stated Reynolds. His colleague Benjamin Roussel, founder of Subspaces which was established in 2024, shares this view.
Last June, he made a car park awaiting redevelopment available for Israeli designer Hed Mayner's show.
According to them, the success of these austere backdrops lies in both their aesthetic and their efficiency. “With this very minimalist imagery, the creations are truly enhanced,” analysed Reynolds.
“The contrast between the very clean and the slightly gritty, raw element is what makes it appealing,” added Roussel.
They also offer a practical advantage, as locations without pre-existing decor have fewer significant constraints.
These venues are also more cost-effective. “Compared to the Palais Brongniart, which hosts the Hermès show on Saturday and has a similar capacity of 500 to 600 people, we are half the price,” the specialist detailed.
Rates range from 8,000 to 13,000 euros (9,485 to 15,409 dollars) per day, excluding production costs, “but ultimately, it remains less expensive,” he confirmed.
"Fundamental theatricality"
For the past two and a half years, the property company Covivio has been renting out buildings that are under construction or unoccupied, as a way to add value to them while they await redevelopment.
Dries Van Noten was its first client. In April 2023, the Belgian designer, who has since departed the brand, visited one of its buildings. He was immediately taken with a former building belonging to the telecoms group Orange.
He decided to “create a collection entirely inspired by the building’s facade and to stage his June show there,” recalled Céline Leonardi, the property company's marketing and customer experience director.
Since then, the company has opened other sites, such as a former postal sorting centre built in the 1900s in the heart of Paris, which has hosted 23 shows in a year and a half.
French brand AMI held a concert there for its January 2025 show. Lacoste installed sand, tennis nets, and giant screens during Paris Fashion Week in October 2024.
For sociologist Émilie Coutant, this trend is part of a continuum. “Margiela held a show in a metro station, and John Galliano on the roundabouts of the Pont Alexandre-III. The venue has always been a centrepiece of the show,” she highlighted.
Fashion shows are based on a “fundamental theatricality” that compels designers to “constantly reinvent by seeking out new locations,” she noted.
This dynamic is further removed from the luxury powerhouses. While Matthieu Blazy for Chanel recently took over the New York subway for its Métiers d'art show, its haute couture will return to the Grand Palais next week. At Dior, Jonathan Anderson will present his collection in the gardens of the Musée Rodin, just as his predecessor Maria Grazia Chiuri did.
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