Paris was the final stop on the Spring 2012 tour bus, so here are my Top 11 looks from the shows I attended plus my highs and lows from Paree.
HIGHS
Top 5 Shows: Balmain (a return to brilliance under a new designer), Elie Saab (award season gowns galore), Chloe (I want every piece), Alexander McQueen (I still have goose bumps) and Andrew Gn (Parisian elegance at its finest).
More Shows: I do very well in New York, so-so in London (despite living there) and very well in Milan, but Paris Fashion Week has always been a tough nut to crack. This season I finally felt embraced with first invites from Isabel Marant, Balmain, Alexander McQueen, Sonia Rykiel and Chloé.
Alexander McQueen re-see: The day after the McQueen show I attended the re-see. I was even more blown away to see the collection up close. The pieces are so delicate and I was amazed at the couture-like workmanship that goes into each piece. The commercial collection provides Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge with many wearable options. I think the new ‘Sedna’ clutch with a hidden skull clasp will become the new celebrity red carpet favourite.
Reader Love: After Chloé, Tina from BagSnob.com and I went to L’Imperial for a bottle (or two) of rosé. I was approached by two lovely ladies who told me how much they loved my blog and how they read it every day. They were so sweet and we took pictures together. It was really moving and by far my favourite moment of Fashion Month.
Andrew Gn: Sitting front row at Andrew Gn proudly wearing a look from his Fall 2011 collection.
LOWS
Fashion Flu: Every season I always get sick at some point during Fashion Month. Thankfully, the weather had been amazing in each city, but on the second-to-last day I caught the flu, as the toll of running around, waiting for shows to start in 100 degree weather and eating crap on the go finally caught up with me. Despite that, I can’t wait to do it all again next season.
More Blogger Drama: When will it end? This time blogger X accused blogger Y of stealing her invite to a show. Turns out blogger X hadn’t collected her ticket in the first place and had no one to blame but herself.
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Posted by Catherine Kallon on October 7th, 2011 In: Paris Fashion Week
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Glad you had fun! Balmain was really very glam this season! thanks for the fabulous coverage!!
thank you. Glad you enjoyed it x
Great to read your recap of the Paris show. Sounds like a lot of fun – AND you took us with you! Thanks!!!
my pleasure x
I so love when you do this recap. Had I seen you in Paris, I too would have been giving you groupie love. Can’t wait for next season. In the meantime FC my dear, rest up well and drink lots of juice.
thanks. Will do x
Thank you. as I was travelling , i couldn’t attend Milan or Paris so again thank you for your coverage. Will take a look at Balmain. We will have to agree to disagree on Chloe or maybe it was better in person -I don’t know but on the whole I thought SS’12 was pretty disappointing.
That is a shame.
What did you think about Dior? I know you weren’t to fond of their last few outings.
I liked the autunn winter 11 but was not happy with couture. I thought it wa safe pretty and very wearable but I thought that it lacked a point of view which given the pricetags it must have. i cannot wait till they get a designer. i am secreyly hoping Galiano comes back
Great job FC. I love to read your recaps and the McQueen pieces blew me away too. Rest up FC, you deserve a break!!
Thanks. Gonna have a very quiet weekend. x
how many shows did you go to for the entire month??
a very BIG thank you for tweeting and blogging for fashion month while blogging about looks on the red carpet.
cant wait till next season and i hope you get to see even more shows!!
get well soon sock up on the vitamins, i take them every day and never get the cold.
wow…lost count.
I will have to add it up one day because now I’m curious
Taking vitamins and lemsip…should be back to normal by Monday xxx
You seem to have had such an amazing month FC, and thoroughly deserved! Well done again for all the brilliant coverage!
Do you have a personal favorite of the fashion weeks, or do you get equally excited for each city?
Yes. I have learned so much and met many amazing people in the industry.
I think Milan is my favourite.
Happy to hear you’re going from strength to strength.
thank you x
If I were in the same room as you or in the same place as you were in I’d DEFINITELY without a hesitation tell you in person how much I appreciate this blog and ask for a picture! I think we all would
But since unfortunately that’s very unlikely to happen I might as well just tell you on here for the fiftieth time 
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your blog and especially your fashion month coverage, I literally refresh your page every fifteen minutes to see if you’ve posted something new or not! Keep it up FC 
x
Thank you… it’s so much fun
I don’t know what I would do without it.
And PS, do you know how designers are ALWAYS influenced on the same thing in a collection? When I read the reviews on Style.com, in this season it was marine life and oceans and things like that for so many big designers, but I wonder how they get the same inspiration on the same season?
Im not sure.
I think stylists or advisors set the tone for the season, or certain trends come around every certain number of years
Trend forecasting has a lot to do with that. There are agencies that specialise in predicting trends about 18 to 24 months in advance and the ALL work with one of those services in one way or another. Well, pretty sure Alaia and Chalayan don’t. Karl might be above it, too.
The other factor are the fabric mills who produce their collections way before the designers do and indirectly influence the outcome, too. Not all of them design their own patterns etc.
These high and low posts are my favorite. Love it.
“This time blogger X accused blogger Y of stealing her invite to a show. Turns out blogger X hadn’t collected her ticket in the first place and no one to blame but herself.” I didn’t know this blogger drama even existed lol
Yes…drama, drama, drama
Oh là là !!!!!!
).
Thank you so much for your kindness upon meeting us !
Catherine, you are beautiful and elegant ! (By the way your outfit was amazing
It will remain for us a very, very precious moment.
Ismahane and Wadia
xxx
Thank you so much. It was such a pleasure and an honour to meet you xxx
It’s great to see things going so well for you,may you attend many more shows next season.And your picks are excellent,that McQueen look and the Valentino are one of my favourites too.
FC Thanks for the amazing coverage!! I am a lil sad it’s over…
Me too…but I’m happy to be able to sleep in my own bed for the first time in a month
I agree with everybody here and I want to thank you too
!!..
I love your blog not only because your posts are amazing but because you have a true conection with you followers. You are one of a few, if not the only big blogger, who posts answers to your comments..I appreciate it very much and I feel that you are a good, sweet person! I feel that you truly deserve anything you get!! I wish you a good rest!
Thanks for your comment
I think it’s really important to have a dialogue with you guys. I learn from you as much as you may learn from me.
I totally agree with you FC!
We all have something to learn through any kind of connection with different persons but not many people have the same attitude.. to bad for them
xoxo
Thank you for the thorough coverage!
Just wanna let u know i read your blog every morning after I brush my teeth, before leaving for school. If it’s a weekend I will be spending the morning lying in my bed reading the blog if there’s any updates
You’re a humorous and witty writer, complemented by your beauty and lovely personality
You are so kind.
It was my pleasure. I had a blast
Great coverage, FC! I’m so jealous! i love the city of Paris, plus, Fashion Week must be pretty amazing.
It is. I can’t wait for February
i love reading your fashion gossips! now who is blogger x??
Thank you for your impeccable coverage of fashion month…you’re posts are always so detailed & I can’t get enough!
Now I just can’t wait until these gowns get some use on the red carpet!
Thank you for the fabulous coverage of Paris Fashion Week! Great job! My favorite has to be Elie Saab….so insanely gorgeous!
If It’s not too much to ask, your one favorite look from Spring 2012?
Too hard to pick one
Hello, I was in Paris during Fashion week and I went to see the entrance to the Loewe show after work. I went just to see the people get in. AND I SAW YOU! wearing a beautifull orange long dress: I didn’t dare to approach you because I thought “She might get that all the time!”, Now I regret not having said anything to you and tell you that I read your blog several times a day (I am hooked!)
What a shame. It would’ve been nice to meet you x