A ubiquitous goal pursued by many is striving to emulate the perpetually chic Parisian style.
French girls are revered for a reason, with their sartorial je ne sais quoi spawning countless think pieces and ‘get the look’ guides in the hopes of coming close to their effortless and enviable style.
With Paris Fashion Week currently taking place, there’s no better masterclass for achieving this acme of French glamour than observing the ensembles worn by the beau monde on the front row.
Though Day One has only drawn to a close, we’re paying particularly close attention to the sensual ease and empowerment displayed by attendees at Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2024 show.
The luxuriate’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello has a monopoly over covetable French chicness, deriving this aesthetic from the house’s rich archives.
Dressed in Vaccarello’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection—Editors Note: For the curious, this collection is available to purchase in Saint Laurent boutiques should you be ready to inject these pieces into your wardrobe—the designer’s muses including Hailey Bieber, Zoë Kravitz, Kate Moss and authentique French girls like Camille Rowe and Charlotte Gainsbourg parted their sartorial wisdom.
Below, French style lessons from the front row of Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2024 show.
1. When In Doubt, Reach For An LBD
The perennially stylish ‘Little Black Dress’ is a wardrobe staple for a reason; it’s both flirty and feminine, sophisticated and accessible. With the LBD originating in Paris—with Coco Chanel’s creation of the silhouette completely modernising women’s fashion at the time—the look has gone on to become a foundation of French girl fashion. Here, Zoë Kravitz’s deliciously draped polka-dot variation is proving that despite the name, the micro dress is far from boring.
2. Borrow From The Boys
Yves Saint Laurent famously used to cut his smoking jackets and tailleur essentials from menswear fabric, injecting a sense of austerity into his otherwise tight-to-the-body feminine shapes. Here, Saint Laurent’s attendees have continued this tradition by riffing on traditional menswear silhouettes and recontextualising them for the modern woman. Think: Dandy-inspired waistcoats and oversized coats, seen here on mother-daughter duo Jerry Hall and Georgia May Jagger.
3. Elevate Everything, Everytime.
Our wise editorial director, Jessica Bailey, once told me the secret to elevating any outfit (irrespective of how rudimentary you may view the look) is to add a pair of heels. Parisian style savants also closely follow this rule, with the elevation element not only coming from the sleek and streamlined silhouette a pair of stilettos create but also reaching new heights by adding a heel.
Below, keep scrolling for more French girl fashion inspiration, courtesy of the Saint Laurent SS24 front row.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.