Seven enduring trends from Paris Fashion Week

Sustainability may be the buzzword of the season, but a handful of brands and of emerging designers have really incorporated it into their start-ups.

"That shouldn't be an argument or something we have to think about," says Alphonse Maitrepierre. "It's actually criminal to launch a brand and not take care of sustainability, so for us it's completely normal." He presented a show on the first day of fashion week, while other young sustainable brands, including Benjamin Benmoyal and Kevin Germanier, also held shows during the week.

Here are seven up-and-coming brands that showed up throughout Paris Fashion Week.

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Berlin-based Canadian designer Annika Tibando's smart collection combines sustainability and spirituality, with garments that incorporate crystals of chakra all over the garment. If that sounds fancy, it doesn't read like one, with delicate beading that pulls a lace-up shirt front together while giving it an unexpected edge. It's all about balance in Tibando's world, with skirts and jackets that look crisp yet supple, while kimono influences on tops and sleeved jackets add extra movement.

Simple pieces are detailed with geometric lines, strategic cutouts and unexpected shapes. Hidden drape details on silk shirts add volume, and eight snaps (another nod to the chakras) are an added design detail that elevates a simple blazer.

Tibando is as precise about his sourcing as he is about his technique. She uses recycled cellulosic nylon, organic cotton and silk from regenerative farms in her items and, as a fan of full transparency, lists all the factories she works with and their certifications. "I probably bore them with all my questions, but I go through a very heavy list." She has her own requirements and points out that competing certifications can be confusing. "I want, where possible, to get information on where their supply is coming from, all the way back to the farms."

Tibando also has a new vision for growth by moving its brand from direct-to-consumer to IRL detail. “Sustainable is an overused word. There should be another way, a stable and progressive way. I don't want every year to go over, over, over. I don't want to be a trend. I think a slow, gradual pattern of growth and a healthy flow of activity is the best way to do this. »

The collection will also host season-to-season bestsellers. "I think when you create beautiful silhouettes and shapes, they have the ability to live for a long time."