Mention Paris Fashion Week and most people picture celebrities, editors, front-row photos, and perfectly polished outfits. And they’re not wrong – but beneath the surface, an entirely different fashion world is unfolding right under everyone’s noses. It’s not just about the shows or events (although they’re definitely a perk) – it’s all about the business of fashion.
Each season, buyers from around the world descend on Paris to handpick the pieces you’ll see in stores next year — quietly setting the tone for your future wardrobe. Come behind the scenes with me, as part of the buying team of The Shelter – an Auckland & Dunedin-based concept store known for its curation of design-led, boundary-pushing brands – as I experience Paris Fashion Week.
Day 1
First stop: Uma Wang. Her shows are always staged in breathtaking Parisian rooms – the kind where you could spend hours gazing at the detailed ceilings. I love seeing how guests interpret the brand in their own wardrobes…it’s truly special when you see the pieces mixed in an organic way. Viewing the garments on the runway isn’t usually the priority for a buyer, but nothing can compare to seeing the designer’s vision off the pages of a lookbook.
Between appointments, I manage a quick detour to the Palais Galleria for Rick Owens’ ‘Temple of Love’. Having stocked Owens’ DRKSHDW line for many years at The Shelter, seeing the archive in person is incredible. My favourite takeaway from the exhibition? His choice to display garments in daylight: “fading and deterioration are part of the process,” the placard reads. A reminder not to take fashion too literally, but to live in it.
The day ends at the Arc de Triomphe, where Neandertal Parfum launches two new scents – one crafted by AI, the other by a master perfumer. Which is which? That’s for us to guess!
Day 2
The first appointment of the day lands us in the multi-brand showroom of Vald. It houses the collection of our three brands Henrik Vibskov, Merryl Tielman and Grounds. This is the best chance for us to get a look at fabrics, styles and how they fit on both myself and the in-house model. Selections are sent straight to The Shelter’s Creative Director Vicki Taylor, who combines all my notes, images & selections to discuss with the rest of our team before we submit our order.
The afternoon is devoted to tradeshows. First is Tranoï for our hat brand Reinhard Plank, then a quick walk through the Jardin des Tuileries to Première Classe, where I was on the hunt for new footwear. It’s easy to get swept up in discovery, but we always come back to our clients: what fits their world, and what doesn’t. Buying is as much about restraint as it is excitement.
One thing I love about Paris is how late everything stays open – the city never really sleeps. I make a dash to Galeries Lafayette, wanting to experience the famed department store for myself. The grandeur of the space is undeniable, but as I wander through aisle after aisle of product, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of stuff. It makes me pause and question what we truly need, and how easy it is to lose sight of value in the noise of consumption. It’s a quiet reminder of why I’m drawn to conscious brands, those who create with intention, focus on quality fabrics, and design pieces meant to last beyond a single season. I really hope that we can pass this on to our clients as the new season rolls around. Buy intentionally, wear well, love forever.
Day 3
Our first stop of the day is with Detaj, our Japanese jewellery brand and the creative behind the Uma Wang runway accessories collaboration. Each season, their pieces embody a quiet precision – sculptural yet wearable. This time, we’re looking for those standout designs: the single earring or necklace that transforms an outfit on its own.
Between appointments, I make time for two essential Paris stops: Dover Street Market and Leclaireur, both must-visits in Le Marais. These concept stores are masterclasses in curation. I always leave retailers like these inspired, not just by the clothes, but by the spaces themselves and the way each room feels like an installation rather than a retail floor. It’s something we aim to bring to The Shelter.
The afternoon is filled with back-to-back appointments. StudioB3, IA, and a new showroom we’re exploring (stay tuned!). Sometimes, we’ve already previewed the collections online, so these appointments become all about fabrication: how does the garment move, how does it layer, how will it translate in our season?
We wrap the day with something special, an invitation to Vivienne Westwood SS26. The energy shifts the moment we arrive. Outside, crowds line the entrance of the Institut de France, hoping for a glimpse of celebrity arrivals, and they aren’t wrong. I pass Paris and Nicky Hilton being interviewed on the way in, and I can’t help but smile – this is the spectacle everyone imagines when they think of Fashion Week. I’m early, of course, but I can’t help relish in sitting back and watching the energy build.
I spot familiar faces – Eva Galambos of Sydney-based boutique ParlourX and Michelle Szczepanski from Muse. Seeing fellow buyers is comforting in a way – small pockets from our part of the world meeting in the middle of Paris.
Day 4
At this point, I’m fairly certain I’m turning into a pastry. Every morning begins the same way – a stop at the local boulangerie, coffee in one hand, croissant in the other. Paris somehow makes indulgence feel like part of the job description.
I manage to sneak in some ‘tourist’ sightseeing early in the morning before the day officially starts at the Uma Wang showroom. It’s our first opportunity to view the collection up close after the runway, and there’s something fascinating about how a designer curates their range to 34 looks from the ten racks now hanging in the showroom. It’s a reminder that editing a collection is an art in itself.
By 6pm, we close the day with a visit to the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa. Of Sculpted Silence curates his 2003 couture collection, and it’s an experience that stopped me in my tracks from the first look. Every mannequin has been individually cut to fit its garment; every line, curve, and fold considered. It’s intimate, reverent, and quietly powerful. If you ever find yourself in Paris, don’t miss it.
Day 5
Our last morning in Paris begins early, a 7:30 a.m. appointment with our long-time friends at Black by K&M. Myra and I possibly spend more time catching up over her summer, what Paris is like this season and life in general before exploring the collection. Isn’t it special when a business relationship merges into an international friendship? Her new leather bags instantly catch my eye. My favourite? A soft, structured tote that Myra gestures toward with a grin: “It fits two bottles of wine.” Practical perfection!
As Fashion Week wraps, I realise how much of Paris you see through showroom windows and walks between appointments. The glamour is real, but so is the grind – and somewhere between the croissants and the collections, in my eyes, that’s where the real magic of fashion lives.
There’s a quiet satisfaction that comes with these final appointments. By now, the notes, photos, and fabric swatches have started to form a story, which will become a cohesive edit that will soon arrive in-store, months from now. I sit at the airport with a few final thoughts:
- Why is 5G in Paris so slow?
- Is the changing of the guard across many fashion houses going to change the industry for the better?
- How can what we curate influence kiwis into looking broader than one aesthetic?
- And finally, how freaking lucky am I to have just experienced the magic of Paris SS26.
