The Luxury Fashion Rundown: Paris Fashion Week Shows, Chanel Mania, And Trends to Watch

0:01Brenda Weischer: Hey everyone, it's Liz Perez and welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed. Fashion month has just wrapped and honestly this week felt like a major turning point for the industry. So today I got to sit down with friend of the show and fashion editor at large, Brenda Weischer, to break down everything that happened in Paris this season. We get into the shows that define the week, why Chanel is very loudly winning fashion right now, the collections that sparked the most conversation across the industry, and the ones that maybe didn't land the way people expected them to. We also talk about the bigger questions coming out of the season from the debate around what sexy really means right now to whether luxury prices are reaching a breaking point and how fashion houses are balancing creativity with the pressure to sell.

0:43Brenda Weischer: But most importantly, we talk about how to actually take what you're seeing during fashion month and apply it to your everyday life from hair and makeup to your everyday wardrobe. Brenda also gives us a little BTS into what actually happens behind the scenes of fashion shows. It's really great. I hope you guys love this episode. If you do, go leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Let's go get dressed with Brenda Weischer. Welcome back to the pod, Brenda. Thank you so much for having me. It's been two years since I was on here. Yeah. I actually was thinking about that on my drive over here this morning.

1:14Brenda Weischer: I was like, wait, where did two years go? That's illegal. Also, I had like a bob. You had a bob. I had a bob. A bob is always, it's kind of a look. It's like fashionable because right now I have the long hair, it's like, whatever. But a bob, it made me feel, especially during fashion week with like having outfits on and look cool. I actually have a lot of theories about this. And that is that I feel that blonde hair specifically, if you are lucky enough to be a blonde or lucky enough to have the hair color situation that you do, it can be a massive part of your personal style. Like let's talk about CBK, for example, like everyone's obsessed with it.

1:53Brenda Weischer: But like, if I wore that, I might not. I'd probably look bad. But the blonde hair, like the long blonde situation just kind of makes it work. I mean, you're kind of pale like me. So I think you'd also suit. But you're like a very class. I feel like you're always going for classy. Okay, you were all over the place. You were in New York. You were in Paris. Tell us about Paris. I feel like this season you went to so many shows. You had such a great like firsthand account of so many things. How was it? Let's start there. And how are you feeling now being back home? I mean, the day after Paris Fashion Week, I feel like people complaining about fashion weeks are really exhausting.

2:27But when you get home after a month like this, you don't want to talk to anybody. You don't want to see anybody. You don't want to wear any makeup or even shower. So I'm a bit in this like, I want to not hibernate this time. But I'm like very close to maybe just not leaving the house for a day. I felt like, obviously, we're all aware of the state of the fashion industry and how that is often connected to creativity or killing creativity, merchandisers taking over, things being more commercial. And I found Paris very pleasantly surprising. There was so much beauty, which I didn't expect.

3:05Brenda Weischer: I would love to hear more about this, like your POV on the state of fashion right now. Like, where does that stand for you? I mean, I don't know if you have stocks in fashion. So I have my AB &H and my caring stocks. neither doing really well. One way worse than the other. We obviously had the phase going into the pandemic 2021, where everybody was at home and bored and shopping and getting stimulus checks in whichever country you live. All of the brands got their check in 2020, 2021, 2022, and expected the same growth in the following years. And then that was put to a halt. A bunch of different reasons, also political reasons.

3:44And there's been a few creative director changes, one at Gucci, with Sabato that really backfired, things got even worse. So a lot of brands are doing bad and we're banking on growing exponentially like they did in 2021. And then it was kind of like the big come down. And so people are scrambling. And I think when there's economic downturn in, because fashion is so particular, unlike any other industry where, especially at the big houses, there's often one creative director who can do whatever they want, ideally, and come up with these gigantic themes. But all of a sudden, when there's pressure to sell, there's a bunch of different cooks in the kitchen.

4:28Someone saying, actually, we need a t-shirt version of this, and it should be this length and things people in our consumers in China would like the longer skirt. But here we would like this, you know, like all of a sudden, a million people get to give their input, some which is very valuable, but the message really gets diluted. And what I was saying with when things are kind of unstable, this is from a business perspective. If you're just an individual, you think this is a time to risk it all and do something creative. Obviously, this is not what the stakeholders would say. And I feel like in the last two years, We've been listening to a lot of stakeholders and things have looked quite commercial or quite fallen flat.

5:15And that is also what I was expecting from the season. And I feel like Paris really turned it around a little bit, very much turned it around actually. And we opened with Dior, who also used to be a pretty commercial house. And I found it really, Jonathan and his vision, they're really beautiful. really, I don't know, we're seeing so many, I'm talking all over the place, so many runways where you feel like the designer doesn't really necessarily understand women and what women want to wear. I think this is like a discussion in every forum ever. What do women want? But you see the highest heels that nobody, none of us can walk in for more than an hour, like Uber, Uber to the restaurant and back and skirts that are so short that we, you know, you can't walk around.

6:05And I felt like Jonathan really put things on the runway that I would want to wear and that I would feel good in. And it was really beautiful. And we see so much, yeah, like techno music, people stomping down the runway and very cold. And that was, it was really like magical, I felt like.

6:24Brenda Weischer: I thought that show was like beyond beautiful. Just, I think the set alone was so exciting to see something different. And I love that. I love that. I feel like he's running with his vision. And I think also still honoring a lot of like Dior house codes, like it's still there. But it makes me I want to wear every single thing that I saw on that runway. And I want to like go out and live in it and like be that person. And I think for me, the collections right now that are resonating the most are the ones that still make me feel like myself, like I don't have to become someone else. But it makes me feel like I'm like, oh, I'm going to be that woman in my life.

7:04Brenda Weischer: I'm like making these movements because I'm like, oh, we're leveling up in life. But I was so inspired by it. I loved it. There were so many things in there that like I really appreciated that they let him run with like the lily pad shoes. Like I don't know if that would have like been a thing five years ago. Like they would have never let something like that happen five years ago in such a corporate commercial industry, especially for Dior. So it's fun to see those things come to life. Yeah, absolutely. I agree. I don't think he had to water down his vision at all. And yeah, what you're saying, especially with shoes, you would have seen him do that at Lueva, but probably not at Dior.

7:37And I feel like immediately, I thought the first three looks were actually the strongest. Like he opened so strong with this fantastic silhouette. And yeah, exactly what you're saying. I also want to dream and look up to something that is created at the, you know, capital F fashion. And I found it really inspiring.

7:56Brenda Weischer: I know you obviously in your own wardrobe stay between very strict parameters. For those of you who don't know, Brenda exclusively wears black and white. How does that change the way that you look at a collection like that? I obviously have two points of view, like that of will a consumer like this? Will girls want to wear this? So I think sometimes it's hard to take off that hat and just look at it for yourself. Also, because I am not a luxury shopper necessarily, because, you know, these things are really expensive, even with a press discount. That's a whole other topic we can get to, because I feel like all journalists, writers, fashion commentators, we're all now talking about things that we have nothing to do with, actually, because it's so, you know, unattainable for everyone in the industry and everybody else.

8:40But, you know, we're supposed to be experts on the products and we're so far removed from that. I do my... But anyways, I can get to that.

8:46Brenda Weischer: We have to get to that. Yeah. In terms of applying it for myself, I think unless you have a really narrow point of view, you can always see a silhouette and recreate something. And for me that, you know, I would recreate in black and white. That is like, obviously these were tops and they had pants underneath, but I'm seeing like an A-line skirt coming back and you don't see that anywhere else besides maybe the classic Alaya A-line skirt. But I think it's more silhouettes, wearing a blazer, wearing a certain type of heel. I think especially in Germany where I live or in Berlin, you don't wear heels unless it's like a chunky boot situation.

9:20So I would look at that thinking, wow, I want my toes out. I'll commit to a cute heel, not like a heel that you can't walk in. But I think it's more so inspiring feeling like you can dress up.

9:33Brenda Weischer: It's amazing how subconsciously I see a show like that. And the next day I noticed the way that I get dressed differently because those images live in your brain and you're automatically going to go to your closet and see how you can recreate that. Oh, 100%. And I think people can really, and this is like the same as like a fashion student, even when you can't necessarily go in and buy things, you can decode things, you know, like how did someone put an outfit together? And I think the easiest to recreate, unless I don't have the skill is hair, you know, like the messy Mew Mew bun or the messy Prada bun or the glasses.

10:07I think there's so many things. If you take off your glasses, you can see what you can recreate there.

10:18Brenda Weischer: A quick break from today's episode because one of the best parts of post-fashion month is, of course, talking about all those incredible runway moments, but then asking, how do we actually wear these in our everyday lives? And every season, of course, there's a vibe that sneaks up on us. One day, it's like super niche and the next, it has completely taken over the internet and our Pinterest feeds. We've seen Ballet Corps, Quiet Luxury, Coastal Grandma, and I think I know what's next. And you can get everything you need for them at Macy's. For fall 2026, and honestly, even starting now, there are two things that were popping up on the runways from every city, from New York to Milan and Paris.

10:55Brenda Weischer: And that's animal print and fringe. Let's start with animal print. We saw it everywhere. Gucci, Prada, Kate, Fendi. and for someone who isn't really the biggest animal print person, I loved how it was shown this season. It was super sophisticated. It was really elevated. Sometimes it was loud on a jacket and then sometimes it was subtle on a scarf and I really love this one mango jacket that I found at Macy's. It's a leopard print but kind of a darker leopard. Button front jacket. It's exactly how I'm thinking about this trend in real life and if you're someone too who's maybe a little print shy, I really recommend something like this because it's so easy to throw over a pair of jeans and a white tee and look really effortless.

11:34Brenda Weischer: The jacket's the outfit. You don't have to overthink about how you're going to pair it together. Just let the print and the jacket do all the work. The second thing that stood out to me a lot was fringe. I saw it at Brandon Maxwell, Ralph Lauren, Altuzara, Bottega. Fringe was also everywhere. And I love this because I feel like in an era where we're used to a lot of minimalism in fashion, I'm so excited to see all of this joy through texture and movement. And I think a lot of times people will think of fringe and they'll think of maybe a costume. But what I loved about seeing this was that it came to life in a way that was more of a detail rather than a theme.

12:09Brenda Weischer: So think fringe on a jacket, fringe on a skirt. There's this one dress on Macy's from Karen Millen. It's a knit tassel mini dress. And it's so soft and romantic. I love this for evening. So pretty. Same thing with this other dress that I saw in Macy's from Ronnie Kobo. It's the Inara dress and the silhouette feels really modern or effortless. I could see that dress with a pair of knee-high boots and a leather jacket any night. But as I like to say with trends, it's always about wearing what works for you. Trends are meant to be fun. They're meant to be the cherry on top of your closet, not just your wardrobe.

12:40Brenda Weischer: And that's why I love Macy's because it has something for everybody. So whether you are looking to play with trends this season or you just want some great new wardrobe essentials, Macy's has everything you need. I'm so excited about fashion this season. It feels fun. It feels joyful. It feels like a statement. It feels like personal style is really back. Maybe that's through a fun jacket that you put on or some amazing textures. So my tip to you guys for this season is to be bold with your personal style. It's basically on trend at this point. Have fun with it. Experiment with new things. Play with textures, colors, prints.

13:12Brenda Weischer: Whatever it is, you'll be able to find all of it at Macy's. And today's segment is sponsored by Macy's. Okay, quick pause from today's episode because I have to tell you guys about a few of my favorite pieces that have been on my mind this spring from one of my favorite brands, Banana Republic. Lately, I have been so intentional about what I'm adding to my wardrobe. I'm really in this phase where I care a lot more about quality, pieces that just feel worth investing in that I will actually reach for over and over again. And Banana Republic has always been my tried and true. They have always been known for their workwear, especially those iconic 90s and early 2000s campaigns, which I feel like is really trending right now.

13:49Brenda Weischer: For me, getting dressed for work doesn't really look the same every day. Some days it's a 9 a.m. meeting and other days it's recordings, fittings, events. So I really need pieces that just feel put together and super easy. The archive-inspired suede jackets, like this one, feel very classic Banana Republic. It's structured but still really relaxed. And of course, the tailoring has such a great polished look, but it's genuinely comfortable for your everyday life. It's that balance of structure and ease that I'm always looking for in my wardrobe. So for all of your spring shopping needs, shop New Arrivals at Banana Republic.

14:25Brenda Weischer: This is really interesting because I do feel like I get asked this question often, and it's something we talk a lot about on the show is like how to take things you're seeing in the world and like distill them down for your everyday wardrobe in a way that like feels actually accessible. And I'm curious, like, how do you start with that? Obviously, I love that you just said hair and makeup. But if someone's like specifically talking about clothes, how does like what's the actual daily practice of that? I think something like Chanel maybe is a better example because all of a sudden you see like a jeans on the runway or like a denim or a pant.

15:01and then you're like, okay, I can wear this and this. I have similar ballerina flats. I might not be Chanel, whatever, but you can tuck the shirt in a certain way. I think there's so many. Actually, I think the shows from Paris that had the most, I would say like styling tips were Tom Ford and Celine.

15:19Brenda Weischer: Yes. There were also even, I don't know, Tom Ford, I think opened with one white leather look and she had one glove on and was holding the other one. It was so fabulous. It's not like I'm going to walk around with one glove on, but just for a picture, you know, it's something I would recreate. I found it so chic. And you can also, I didn't grow up, you know, we were too young to have ever witnessed like a nineties runway where models had like character on stage. But I feel like now, not necessarily that has, that kind of work has come back, but something like a Tom Ford show, he really type cast kind of, and there were older models, younger models, and everyone almost kind of played a role.

15:55And you, it's not like I'm copying a walk, but you see attitudes, you know, and I find that really inspiring. So that I found really that's something that you can apply for your own life.

16:06Brenda Weischer: You just brought up Tom Ford. And I think that maybe was like up there in my top three shows from this season. I loved it. Absolutely. So much. I thought there were so many great takeaways that you could like apply to everyday life. I don't know if you saw Hanan, who's at I Deserve Couture did a post about how Tom Ford is like the epitome of sexy today. And Brian Boy, who is another creator we all love, got in the comments and was like, actually, I think Tom Ford is defining sexy for like a specific generation. But really, I think the epitome of sexy today is Gucci. It's Gen Z. It's Zeitgeist.

16:43Like that's what like is defined as sexy today.

16:47Brenda Weischer: And I'm actually curious what you think about that because sometimes I think fashion is confused about what is sexy. And I actually think the industry as a whole doesn't know how to define what that is today. Oh my God, there's so much to unpack. I think everybody, everybody can have their own definition of sexy or beauty or whatever. So to me, it is not Gucci what I saw on the runway I found. But obviously I'm also not Gen Z. I'm millennial. So I thought it's the same way you can maybe say sexy doesn't have to necessarily mean showing skin, you know, like sexy can be an attitude, at least things that I find sexy are for sure confidence, but never overly confident, never to the point of cocky.

17:28I wouldn't find that sexy. You know, I found the Gucci runway. It was obviously rehearsed in a way, but so over the top, I found the heels that barely anybody could walk in, not sexy. You know, there's also like an even more extreme version. My friend was texting me because I had like a little rant on my podcast about the Gucci walks because I don't want to see women suffer. And sure, there's the internet comment section that's like, these are not professional models and Vittoria could do the walk. I don't think that's anybody, like they had walkthroughs, you know, and I don't think that's any of the models fault when you get a heel that's insane and two sizes too big.

18:09I don't think that should happen in this way. And I'm sure you've said also at many shows where it made you uncomfortable. the suspense of maybe someone falling, but also the struggle, you know, these models are professionals, but still you can see when someone's like not having the best time. And I never find that, like, I just don't understand how that happens, especially at this level. Yeah. So to me, sexy doesn't have to be skin. It doesn't have to be overly out there.

18:34Brenda Weischer: Yeah. I don't, it's interesting. I don't, I think about myself getting dressed. Like last night I I was going to an event and it was like a late event at like a place that was like dark and moody. And I'm like, okay, I want to feel good. Like I want, I would like to feel sexy for this environment. And I'm curious what you put on when you're like tasked with that. Like what is your like? And you put on like a fully covered Saint Laurent suit with some shoulders, right? Exactly. So yeah, everybody obviously can have that completely different. Literally, I put on a Celine suit. right yeah I mean to me sexy is for sure if I think about just clothes what I feel what I feel good in yeah maybe some old Rick Owens that's like body con but everything's everything's covered and I feel also as a woman like we all fluctuate in weight so I I don't like I want like things to be a bit more like hugging I don't know if you can say that you know things that I can move around a little bit.

19:35So there's certain materials, especially with Gucci, like the sequin. For me, that wouldn't work. That wouldn't really push my confidence, you know, because the light is hitting me in all the wrong places.

19:47Brenda Weischer: But just for context, you mean like the sequin mini dresses? Yes. Yeah. It was very like, it reminded me of like what it looked like to go out in LA in like the early 2000s. It was like sequin minis. When you had your like fake ID wanting to look older. Yes. And I was like desperate for attention. I was going to a club for the first time. Like that's what we were wearing. Like the sequin minis and the like cutouts. Yeah, it felt. Yeah. It felt so like different than what I think people are wearing today. Today's episode is presented by Depop. If you know me, you know, I am big on a closet reset.

20:22Brenda Weischer: I genuinely think that when your closet feels organized, your brain and life does too. So how many things are in your closet right now that you have loved when you bought them? Maybe you wore them once or twice, but now they are just sitting there. Here's something that I have realized. That random vintage blazer address that you bought for that birthday or dinner, someone is searching for that exact vibe right now. And that's why I love Depop. It's a resale app where you can buy and sell fashion, but what makes it feel different is how easy it is to actually list something. You literally snap a photo and their AI powered listing fills in the details.

20:56Brenda Weischer: It gives you smart pricing suggestions. You can accept offers, boost listings, and it takes what feels overwhelming and makes it feel like a very low lift. Also, no seller fees. So if you're clearing out one bag, five pairs of jeans, or doing a full closet edit, what you earn is actually yours. So download the Depop app and list one thing that you're not wearing today. You might be surprised at how fast it finds a new home. I'm curious and I would love because you are so transparent about this process. Like, what does it look like when you're going into a season and you're doing requests? Are you requesting shows?

21:31Brenda Weischer: Are you getting invited to things? I think there's a lot of, especially now when you see so many people going to shows and like the industry's changed so much. I think people would love to know like what that process is like. So I've done a video maybe three years ago, how I request fashion shows. And I feel like some of it is really not accurate anymore because at this point, every brand is completely different. Right. The industry has totally changed. Totally changed. So there used to be the rule of thumb of like you request four weeks before the show. I mean, anything earlier, you're really bothering people for no reason.

22:04You kind of start requesting once the schedule gets released. And I always tell young people, sometimes you reach like a lucky PR person who like reads your whole text about why you're passionate about the specific brands, but that's like one in a million people when they don't recognize your name immediately, your folder, you know, it goes like to the trash folder immediately. So it has to be a really quick, polite email explaining who you are and that you want to go to the show. It doesn't really links to your socials maybe, but it doesn't really have to be a lot more than that. It's also the more important you are, quote unquote, you can, you know, Rihanna can tell someone the day before if she wants to go or not.

22:44So I think I, I, at this point, I'm more like at a, I've worked myself up from four weeks to like a three week before the show request, but each brand. So I have my management in Paris who do handle all of the requests. So I actually don't see any of them, but on the day that the schedule comes out, my agent sends me the schedule. And then like in a WhatsApp group, I circle in the ones that I want to do, depending on who I have a relationship with, who maybe also something aspirational, like something that I've never been invited to. But also you don't want to request a show every single season not getting invited.

23:21Like you get the hint after like three seasons. And how you're saying it's completely changed. There's no talent teams. You know, it used to be maybe 10 years ago, there was like a press team and that just also had to handle some influencers. Now there's a talent team, a VIP team, a press team. All of these have to work together. We're all getting seated within markets. So I mostly sit either international or with my German market. So there will also be the German press and then in front of them or behind them, the German influencers. So it's really like, it's a really intricate system. So a few weeks before we send requests, depending on how needy we are, there might also be a follow-up, you know, two weeks later, because at this point, we're also in a really chaotic time where we've had creative director changes and the creative directors are more involved with choosing the talent than ever before.

24:10And they might also change their opinion two days before. So invites come a lot later because sometimes the talent teams or press teams don't even know their quota. Quota is the amount of seats that they will get. So your Dior US team, maybe you get 30 seats. So you have 30 seats to fill with 15 press, five influencers, then maybe some come through Dior Beauty. That's a whole thing, the girls that actually make money. So you have these 30 seats to fill. Then you also have to figure out, do these people need to be flown in? If you only get your quota four days before the show, some people might be busy.

24:49Some people might not, you know, there's certain people who like you and me, we know when the fashion weeks are. So we are not like talents that get surprised at a whim. Like, oh, it's fashion week next week. I can't go. Like, you know, my schedule is cleared for this, but it has become really difficult also, I think, for the talent teams to adjust to new creative directors' demands and what they want from talent. And these are creative directors, so they get most things handed to them and they have the power to just change their mind like three days before. And I think it's really stressful for the comms teams to adjust to the new style of yeah like crowd curation I would say there's also brands I've only for example been going to Chanel for six months like ever since my tour started and they have reached out each time so I have not requested so some brands like I'm pretty chic about it like a Chanel knows that they want you and then they send you an RSVP and then you say you know I will be in town and I would love to go and some brands are really different.

25:53And yeah, I think an Hermès, for example, is the same way where they know who they want. And a Comme des Garçons, you send your request, you get no reply. And then randomly, three weeks later, you get the print invite. You know, no email reply ever. And then this is also how you find out your seat. And there's no arguing with the seat with Comme des Garçons. So it's like every brand now is entirely different. That was a really long speech. I'm sorry.

26:18Brenda Weischer: No, I loved it. Do you ever argue for your seats? Yes. I mean, it all seems so vapid, right? But we or I go also for image to shows and there are certain brands that have power. I mean, there's a power shift no matter what. So I'm not going to argue with the Chanel because, you know, it's like so major to be invited. But I can say, for example, Balenciaga this season reached out to me without me requesting. so when then I get the seat maybe three days before the show or two days before the show and it's a row three out of three I'm like I'm happy not to go and this sounds like arrogant but like you know and someone else will be happy not happier to get my seat and then my agent will tell the PR person like she's not really happy with the seat is there anything we can do like in a polite way and then there's something they could do there's always something they could do So there's always, so this is also, you just, you shouldn't be shitty about it, but you know, this is a conversation.

27:17It's not just like, here you go. I think you can always argue for yourself.

27:23Brenda Weischer: Speaking of Balenciaga, it was so interesting. I know I saw your footage when you got to the show. It was really crazy outside. You would run into a friend and ended up trying to go in through the VIC entrance. and I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about the different roles that kind of take shape within a show because I know for some shows you can pitch yourself as an influencer but then you're also an editor so for some shows you can pitch yourself as an editor then there are also VIPs and VICs so I'm wondering if you can outline that a little bit for someone who might not know what really goes on in terms of the hierarchy at shows so when when you and I are talking about this we're only kind of talking about the capital F fashion.

28:06So this is the Chanel's, the MS, the LVMH and the Caring Groups. Everybody else has like an entirely different process. These are also usually brands that do not pay like attendance fees to talents because it is so desirable. But there's also exclusions like sometimes Chinese talents, for example, gets paid because this is just the way it goes. So it's really like, even that it's very particular. I think people's misconception is that a show is for influencers and it is very much not so. And our seats are really declining. The show is mainly for the VICs, the people that spend good six figures to seven figures to even higher per year to secure their seats.

28:45And this is like a whole social circle. And after the show, there's also the reseats, the showrooms where the VICs make their appointments and get walks through the collection and make their selects, you know, so they're kind of buying straight off the runway. It then gets produced and delivered months later. So at a lot of shows, it's like, but it's really depending on the brand, but it's like 60, 70 % clients. And these don't often get photographed. So this is not what we see through the screen at home. A, for privacy reasons, because these are, you know, high net worth individuals. results.

29:20Sometimes also the brands from a comms perspective prefer to film the influencers who are like dressed by the brands. And you know, you can't really dictate a client how, what kind of outfit they will show up to the brand. Then there's a lot of press. Press is also for me, like a stylist, you know, or an editorial director who put the things into a different context. Now the context is not so much different in the magazines anymore because the brands have full look policy. So you know how you and I used to grow up and like look for the credits, like what skirt is she wearing? That doesn't really exist anymore.

29:52It's a full Miu Miu look. It's a full Prada look. It's a full everything look. Then there is the fashion buyers. So for like we say, capital F fashion, a lot of the brands are not wholesale brands. So they will only sell through their own outlets. Like a Louis Vuitton, you will never see in a multi-brand store. You will only see a shop in shop. That is the maximum they will do. So they have their own little corner and make it look like a store. And that's the case for a lot of high fashion brands. They're really pulling back from e-tailers and wholesalers. So a lot of the LVMH brands or Chanel, you would never see that on essence.com or Netoporter or wherever.

30:28So these only sell through their own channels. So with some of these brands, there's not a lot of buyers there. The editors-in-chief always sit in the front row. And then depending on how big your magazine is, you get one, two, three, Vogue gets 10 seats. It really depends. They all try to sit together. Sometimes a magazine just gets too often. There is an editor in chief and now there is the content team of the magazine. So what a lot of magazines do now also is the behind the scenes content, the interviews of the ambassadors that are mostly approved by the brand. And then there is the influencers who sometimes get paid to be or have with high fashion, not many have yearly contracts anymore, to be honest.

31:13Some are flown and hosted for like two nights in a hotel. And everybody is kind of expected to post about the show. And then you have, which is really a growing sector, is the VIPs, that is celebrities. There is also a section of the celebrities that are brand ambassadors. So these people are under contract. Like a Bativa at Chanel now is a brand ambassador, the model. And the other VIPs kind of get picked season by season, either because the creative director is really fond of them or because they have a movie coming out and something to promote. Yeah, this is really long.

31:51Brenda Weischer: No, no, no. Honestly, I actually don't think I knew myself that 60 to 70 % of shows are buyers or are VICs. Yeah, I mean, it depends, right? Sometimes, because we're sitting in our little section. We're sitting in our little section and a Chanel show has like multiple corridors basically. So unless you walk around and look at each, there's, yeah, sometimes it's half of the people are clients. I remember when a client also sometimes gets to bring even a plus one, you know, so there's like the husband behind her or sometimes also now clients have become their own content creators. So I see clients who have like the assistance with them, but also like someone with a camera are walking behind them.

32:34So that's also turned into a thing. Clients used to be a lot more secretive. For example, they have social media, they like to post, they will do their unboxing of their new Birkin. And they often have like a team with them, like with like light and everything. And you're like, who's a celebrity? And it's a client.

32:51Brenda Weischer: In my next life, I'm coming back as a VIC. Okay. I mean, it is fabulous because also, you know, when you and me go to a show, the maximum besides the show is like maybe a dinner by the branch you know depending on like what the schedule is or if like a reesee appointment or if you're really lucky in the PR has time like a coffee with the comms team but we kind of are there for the show the clients are on a whole brand trip so completely yeah so you have a Louis Vuitton show they will have a dinner they will have a brunch they will have you know the Louvre shut down for now I'm just like making stuff up, but there's, they're like on an itinerary and they're getting flights.

33:30Sometimes they decline the flights because they prefer to come with their own plane, but they're like on a whole schedule and we just get to see like 10 % of what the brand is actually doing these days.

33:42Brenda Weischer: What this season didn't work for you? Zooming back out, what is, what kind of felt sticky? I really was expecting something else from Gucci I have to say I feel like his announcement was maybe an hour a year ago and then I had after leaving Balenciaga he signed with signed with Gucci and I mean that presentation must have been insane or whatever he proposed and he even though Gucci is under such pressure to sell somehow got them to agree to give him a year before doing a show. And then I think most people in fashion kind of expected that he had to do something back in September, October for spring, summer, just to keep some kind of press going.

34:29And he released this incredible film full of characters, like complete surprise, you know, did a screening in New York and a huge screening in Milan Fashion Week with red carpet. And it was so Demna. Storytelling, 360 approach of just like what it means to be a modern brand and how to cater to such different personalities. And I thought it was so fabulous. So I expected something much bigger for his first debut show. And I thought, I don't know what I was expecting, but like characters and fun and Italian romance. And like we were saying before, maybe it's just not how I perceive things to be sexy and a younger generation find it sexy because Gucci is sexy inherently.

35:16I don't know. It didn't do it for me. I think I have a few thoughts about Gucci.

35:21Brenda Weischer: One, what I'm finding really interesting right now is there are a few brands that I feel like their couture collections and their ready-to-wear collections have zero synergy. Like I felt that way with Balenciaga as well. Even not even their couture collection because they didn't show, but even in their ready to wear collection from September to now felt like completely different brands. But with Gucci specifically, I thought it was interesting to have seen that September show, not show, but the movie and the press around it, and then have the collection that we just saw feel like a completely different ethos.

35:55Brenda Weischer: And for me, like I need that connectivity. Do you know what I mean? Like I need them to feel related. Like, yeah, I don't want to. And I understand also for couture collections, like brands want to push the envelope and do things that feel, you know, it's the highest form of fashion, highest form of like all their artisans, but it needs to feel like cohesive. And I feel like Gucci kind of dropped the ball on that. When I saw the collection, I was like, oh, this is nothing like what I saw in September. This is a complete departure. Okay. So then to Pierpaolo. I think Pierpaolo is so incredibly talented and I was never a Valentino consumer because I actually thought his clothes were so amazing, but the curation of the talent, like you and me, the influencer side was very commercial where it wasn't so desirable for any of us.

36:41I feel like to be, to be part of that specific Pierpaolo Valentino world. But I'm, I mean, obviously I'm like biased, but his black show with all of the lace dresses and especially the couture by the end was so incredible. And with what you're saying, like keeping the old Demna Balenciaga customer happy, I think A, there's no way because these people are also so in love with Demna. They would follow him anywhere. So I thought what you would do is go the exact opposite, go to another extreme and go to beauty and, and lace and elegance and do something that hasn't been done before. But yeah, it really felt like a, try to not lose the customer, try to not lose the customer.

37:22And you can't do, you can't outdo Demna and Demna like ever, no matter how chunky you make your boots. Like there was always a story. that was irony that was so yeah it was my first time going and we were sitting there and we were sitting in front of screens showing euphoria they had a collaboration yeah which also to me feels like so not the zeitgeist like I don't know maybe this was a deal that was signed years before Pierpalo even started or that is just his vibe but I it was so yeah not I don't know I just didn't feel like with the times and then I look at everything and not just the clothes but the music was like Bergheim by Rosalia which is like you either do a throwback or you do like an unreleased song by an artist but something that is like I don't know when did Bergheim get released months ago it's a great yeah it's a it's an amazing song but it wasn't I feel like at a show what what you usually want is like something that came out yesterday or something that has been done for you or remixed by you.

38:26Something that has... So it just didn't feel... It felt a bit awkward because also I'm sitting with the press. So imagine how many times we've now heard Berkheim in like some commercial context.

38:37Brenda Weischer: I think at the end of the day, if you are someone who is like paying attention to Paris and you're there, you expect these brands to be forward thinking. Like you expect them to show the way forward. And so I think it's a little jarring when that doesn't land. Yeah, you're supposed to dictate what's next. You're supposed to dictate what the future of it all is. There were some moments in certain shows where I feel like I can't tell if a brand is trying to like utilize culture to get more impact, right? Like Louis Vuitton had the Severance set designer come and build out the set. Then Euphoria with Balenciaga.

39:14Brenda Weischer: And then also like these really interesting moments that I feel like I've never seen before. like Schiaparelli playing Tate McRae was such a plot twist I wasn't expecting. And even Chanel playing Lady Gaga Just Dance, I was like, whoa, what a sharp pivot. So what do you think about all of that? And like, what does it indicate to you about like what a brand is like really needing to make a show hit right now? Oh my God. I mean, for a show to be a hit, A, things can happen by accident, right? Like someone saying something hilarious after the show in one of these videos or someone having like a mishap.

39:49So I feel like most of the good content you can't really plan. But the brands that we're talking about really have the budget, right? To get their set designer, to have Michel Gobert do the music, to have... Also, I feel like, especially what you're saying with Chanel and the music, Mathieu Blasi, Lady Gaga also was not expected to me because the last few times we're always talking about the millennial dream or older millennial dream music that he's playing and sing-alongs. And I feel like Lady Gaga was kind of a bit younger even than that, like 2010s and not 90s music. But yeah, these brands have the budget to make like the creative director's dream come true.

40:26I think sometimes it can be distracting. I was not expecting this, yeah, like neon green set. To me, that's neon. I don't know. Moss green set from Louis Vuitton necessarily, but it grabs your attention, obviously. So sometimes this is when we're talking about, you know, the perfect 360 approach. I feel like especially with old, older Demna Balenciaga shows, the soundtrack, the music, the model cast, the mud on the ground. I was not the biggest fan personally for my wardrobe, but like everything made sense. And then sometimes you have a creative director that maybe also shouldn't be in charge of the entire 360 approach, you know, and should have a different set designer and should not control all of it.

41:10Like some people have the total vision and some do not. And that's also okay. You know, I could never be a designer. So this is like, they are so talented, but you know, like just because you have the millions of budgets, which is what these shows cost, doesn't mean you have to use all of it for the crazy set design and the live performance and another thing and another thing. Yeah. If there was one thing that you think people listening right now are going to be

41:36Brenda Weischer: wanting in their closets after this season, what do you think it's going to be? I mean, it's very obvious, but all of us are talking about the Chanel shoes. I was like, I set up that question. I was like, I know her answer. Tell us about the store. Tell us everything. I mean, it's incredible. I think especially in our niche industry of influencers, content creators, editors who often do not buy the clothes because of budget, even with a press discount, but it is so unattainable. So when all of us get together, collectively and really have, you know, there's really a demand being created. I think Chanel won everything.

42:14Like all of us ran on Tuesday because of hearing a rumor that there's a restock on Tuesday morning before the show. I actually, I don't want to say what I want because I still want a tiny chance of getting the shoes that I want, but so far it's not looking good. I, we were talking about this earlier in the episode, but you know, I can walk in a heel, same as you like for an event but I we don't not all of us have this lifestyle of yeah walking around and like heels all the time gigantic yeah also you know as a woman inside like we're not all in like members club somewhere we're walking we're walking to work we're walking to meetings like we can't like you look also a bit ridiculous sometimes and I felt like the Chanel heel is for girls girls who have to go to places yes it's like a thicker heel they look more comfortable like I always love a shoe that has like more leather around the foot.

43:06Brenda Weischer: So like you feel supported in it. And I feel like a lot of those shoes are the ones you can bike, you can walk on a cobblestone. And also at some of us, all of us are going to get bunions because these, I love a pointy toe, pointy heel, but everything is like squished together. You know, see what I'm wearing. It's terrible. Why am I wearing these? You have toes. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I, I will suffer, you know, like I collect, I collect a Ruff Simmons for Dior kind of shoe. And he was like, these are terrible for your feet. So I think I'm most excited for the Chanel shoes. People are really excited about the bags as well.

43:41I don't need my bag to hold a laptop, to be honest. I like work from my phone. So I'm next to like a classic Chanel flat bag girl. But I think the Chanel shoes and ready to wear if you can afford it.

43:53Brenda Weischer: I'm going on Friday. Wish me luck. Oh my God. What's your, what's your store? The Beverly Hills one, the Rodeo one. Chic. Yes. Let's go see the Mayhem. I'm very excited. What's on your wish list? Oh, you also won't share. No, I'll share. When this comes out on Monday, Friday will be passed. I love the shoes, specifically the teal ones, like that, the aquamarine, like that feels so fun. I'm obsessed with them. I actually was watching the Celine show and saw Brian sitting front row and he was wearing those aquamarine shoes and you could see them in all the live streams. Incredible. So I was like, perfect.

44:28Brenda Weischer: I do love the like extra large that everyone's wearing, but I have a feeling that's gone. Like that just feels gone. And I'm desperate to try on the blazer that Luke wore to the show because I just want to see what it feels like on. I probably won't do it, but I just, I want to see. But it's interesting. Like even for me who is someone who like, I'm really a chameleon with my style. Like I really do feel deeply inspired by everything Matthew is doing right now. Like even what I'm wearing today, I think came together because there was like a look in my mind that has just lived there rent free since September.

45:02Brenda Weischer: And I've always been someone like if you looked at photos of me and please don't do this from like 2016, like I was very like I grew up in, you know, going to college in New York in the era of Gossip Girl. Like it was a lot of peplums and prints and colors and movement and textures. And I feel like as I became. I'm assuming you were a Blair as well. Oh, I was a Blair. yes obviously as I got older I feel like maybe I lost some of that in an effort to feel like I was dressing more mature and like more for like the person maybe I wanted to be and I will say like seeing these collections come out has like totally brought me back to that like younger person who like wants to dress that way and wants to dress like she's like Brittany Murphy in Uptown Girls like in that opening scene when she's like going to her party and putting the lampshade in her hair.

45:47Brenda Weischer: Like that's how I've always like envisioned my personal style. And so now I feel like I'm kind of like finding this in between. And yeah, it's been fun to see that happen in fashion. Like it's really actually it's resonated with me so much. So yeah, that's kind of what stuck with me the most. I think it's really weird that fashion people are so excited about something. This time you could really see all of the editors in Mathieu Blasi's heels because they had all bought it. So actually all of us were kind of matching. And I thought that was so cool because you rarely see editors in the current, current, current season just come out.

46:20And I feel like every fifth woman was wearing the shoes.

46:26Brenda Weischer: Thank you so much for doing this. This was so fun. I hope that you get tons of rest. I hope you don't have to talk to anybody for the next few days, besides Isaac and Summer. And I hope you have a very mellow week. And thank you so much for making the time. Thank you for having me. Of course.

46:45Thank you.