Sat 23 Jan: Paris Report from Amy Gwatkin

A highlight in the seasonal hat department for me is always Stephen Jones for Walter Van Beirendonck, so I asked Amy Gwatkin to give us the low down from the day.........

"The Walter show was in 2 parts...from the right came the boys - with their jumbo ear protectors and small spikes under their shirts at the nape, like baby dinosaurs, can only be described as: super bright techno rave hoodies for the busy baby dinosaur on the building site!

Then the girls from the left - classic hat shapes, the fedora, riding hat, and bowler reworked in coloured felt and outlandishly outsized, over surprisingly discreet hacking jackets, and bold single coloured jackets and dresses - pleated at the shoulder and across the back, in an almost 18th century horsewoman vibe - this impression was reinforced by the insane shapes, apparently constructed like a crinoline the went 'through' the model's body at the crotch - giving the impression of the model 'riding' it - giraffes, machine guns, rockets, storks..........

you literally wonder whether walter cultivates magic mushrooms in that beard of his."

"I spent the day observing the fashion fans crushing round the show venues of Rick Owens, Walter van Bierendonck, Kris van Assche, and Tim Hamilton ( i couldn't find Comme, got over excited by double decker underground trains and was late for Cerruti and Givenchy - sometimes you just have to have a kir and a fag!). Apart from those with invitations who were whisked right in, there were some eager and great looking kids waiting for the chance of a nod and the momentary swishing aside of the rope.... My plan was simply to watch the characters on the street, but the chap at Walter gave me an almost imperceptible head movement and in I scuttled.....Almost everyone had a camera - there was a sort of 'them and us' divide - whereby if you didn't have a camera you were too busy BEING the picture, rather than TAKING them darling!"

To see the whole collection, go here