A tourist’s guide to Paris Fashion Week

“I don't do fashion. I am fashion,” said the late great Coco Chanel. And twice a year, all eyes fall on the French capital as it becomes the pinnacle of the international fashion scene during Paris Fashion Week. Oozing all things couture, thousands flock to the city to attend runway shows, trade events and glittering, star-studded parties.

Paris Fashion Week began in 1973 and has been highlight of the global fashion industry ever since. February is known as Fashion Month, when New York, London and Milan host their biannual fashion weeks. As the birthplace of haute couture, Paris Fashion Week is naturally the climax. Check out our quick guide to making the most out of Paris Fashion Week, arguably one of the highlights of the fashion calendar.

The objective of fashion week is to show the industry what’s happening next season. It’s divided into three categories; prêt-à-porter, haute couture and men’s fashion.

Although shows and parties are spread across the city, the week is largely centred around the 1st arrondissement, namely the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries, which swarms with models, agents, stylists and fashion editors from all across the world. Fashion’s main players, including Chanel, Givenchy, Dior, Vuitton and Céline, host their shows in iconic Paris landmarks, like the Grand Palais and the Carrousel du Louvre, and invitations are as rare as hens’ teeth. Smaller labels seek out trendy warehouses and other unique venues in the outer districts.

Of course, unless you're part of the industry, invitations to shows and events are pretty thin on the ground, but it doesn't mean visitors can't enjoy the buzz of having the world's fashion elite all in one place. The city truly comes alive during Paris Fashion Week when designers, models, stylists, editors, photographers, bloggers and influencers all descend on the city for a week of runway shows, events, meetings and parties.