At the Summit of Style and Provocation, Weinsanto Kicks Off Paris Fashion Week
On September 23rd, the Georges, the famous chic restaurant perched atop the Centre Pompidou, metamorphosed into a theatre stage to host Victor Weinsanto’s Spring-Summer 25 Fashion Show. With a collection blending haute couture, artistic performance and drag culture, the young fashion prodigy, renowned for his daring and extravagant style, managed to surprise an audience used to the unexpected once again.
In his signature free-spirited, non-conformist approach, the fashion designer called on prominent drag stars to bring a dynamic twist to the traditional fashion show, starring emerging drag star Le Filip and transgender icon Allanah Starr, who took to the catwalk with grace and flamboyance. But there was more to come. Playing the architect of a masterfully controlled chaos, Weinsanto conjured quite an eclectic cast: comedian and singer Camille Lellouche opened up the catwalk followed by Meredith Duxbury, a beauty influencer, Ameni Esseibi, a model and fervent advocate of a more inclusive body representation in the industry, and Julie Demont, a talented French actress.
By delivering a highly interactive show, where the audience was invited to take part in the captivating performances taking place on stage, Weinsanto managed to challenge the passive stance of spectators attending conventional fashion shows. The show’s centrepiece? An inverted Eiffel Tower transformed into a monumental umbrella, which caused quite a stir. Poetic yet unapologetically daring, it came to embody the designer’s essence: at the crossroads of Parisian tradition and edgy experimentation. The silhouettes imaged those of the contemporary businesswoman, confident but never boring. Funky berets, sharp corsets and imposing jewellery topped off looks that were both structured and liberated. Every detail was designed to express the duality between power and fantasy.
Way to go! This beginning of Paris Fashion Week will certainly live long in the memories of those in attendance, which included Flora Coquerel, Pierre et Gilles, Nicky Doll, Raphaël Say, Keiona, Charles de Vilmorin, Loïc Prigent and many others…
Text: Emma Grossi
Photos: Ayka Lux
