11.07.2012- Fashion Week Top Five: Paris AW12/13

As ever with fashion month, all roads lead to Paris. Arguably the most anticipated of the four fashion weeks, for me the designers who exhibit in the French capital cater to an inherent sense of style, rather than the bold trendsetting and vision of London Fashion Week or the prolific commercialism of New York. Many of the shows I look forward to the most unfold in Paris, so choosing my top five is always tricky, but the vision of AW12/13 embodied in this selection made these presentations the most memorable for me:

Guillaume Henry is taking Carven from strength to strength. Vivid prints, beautiful cutwork detailing and a series of really wearable looks made this presentation one of my Parisian highlights.

Clare Waight Keller's latest collection for Chloé once again proved why I love the label so much- it offers the best in aspirational dressing. These quintessentially French looks capture an effortless chic which feels really wearable and accessible. I love the oversize coats, bold pops of colour and sophisticated city styling. 

A splash of Old Hollywood glamour, complete with red lipstick and 40s inspired shapes made the Nina Ricci presentation another of my Paris Fashion Week highlights. 

Another effortlessly chic collection came from Sonia Rykiel, who juxtaposed a series of masculine looks with some beautifully feminine dresses. I love how classic each of these looks are- again perfectly embodying French style.

I feel like my love of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli at Valentino is becoming as predictable as my admiration for Erdem, but their take on AW12/13 was just beautiful. With a host of brocading, embroidery and texture, this collection felt really diverse and unashamedly romantic, drawing on a variety of classical inspiration to create a series of ultra-feminine designs. 

So, that's it until September! What did you think of my Parisian top five?

(Image credit: elle.com.)