Fashion & Beauty

PARIS - Clothes as body armour was the original concept behind Jean Paul Gaultier's rather dizzying fall-winter 2013-14 show in Paris.

PARIS - The rich fabrics and draped silks brought to Europe by the medieval crusaders inspired Vivienne Westwood's fall-winter 2013-14 tour de force. They were interpreted with the British designer's signature zest in Saturday's show.

PARIS - Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are taking no risks this fall-winter season.

PARIS - The fourth day of Paris fashion week saw Raf Simons unveil the latest chapter of his journey after nearly a year at the design helm of Christian Dior.

PARIS - Issey Miyake cast a few minutes of sunshine over a grey Paris sky on Friday with a fall-winter 2013-14 show brimming with colour.

PARIS - The most Parisienne of the silver screen icons, Catherine Deneuve, was the inspiration behind Roland Mouret's playful, colorful and womanly show at Paris fashion week.

PARIS - First it was Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo who played with men's clothing in the 1930s. Then came Yves Saint Laurent, who in the 60s made it fashionable for every woman with the masculinity of "Le Smoking.

PARIS - Avant-garde romantic Rick Owens is always full of surprises. This fall-winter 2013-14, it came in the form of what Owens called "wedding cake" stitching alongside billowing-sleeved Samurai silhouettes, and models with wild, Wagnerian hair.

PARIS - "Sometimes simple, sometimes powerful, but always balanced," said Barbara Bui of her restrained fall-winter 2013-14 show.

PARIS - Balmain focused on the Far East for its fall-winter collection Thursday, using bejeweled couture and Oriental wrapped silks to embellish the Paris house's ready-to-wear display.