Most Wanted

Paris is always fashion month’s headline act. The bumper schedule kicked off on Monday and runs until March 5, with Loewe, Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney all set to present their fall/winter ’24 collections over the weekend.

Another unmissable name in the lineup is Balenciaga, which is set to debut its FW24 offering on Sunday. It’s a piece from the house’s pre-spring ’24 collection that NET-A-PORTER fashion assistant Maya Gunavardhana is certain she’ll be packing for her whirlwind trip to the style capital. “I’ll be bringing Balenciaga’s oversized jacket with me to Paris because denim is the ultimate fashion-week staple,” she says. “It can still be cold in early March, and a denim jacket offers so many possibilities for layering – you could wear it over a chunky knit or slip it beneath an oversized coat, for example.” Thanks to the way it’s sculpted into the brand’s iconic hourglass silhouette, the jacket itself feels like you’re investing in a piece of fashion history. Unlike couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga’s original designs, however, this jacket is not thickly padded at the hips. Instead, it simply kicks out beneath the nipped waist for a more relaxed, contemporary take that has the same enduring appeal.

One easy way to style a long-line blue denim jacket is with black leggings and knee-high boots. Alternatively, follow Gunavardhana’s lead and team it with Isabel Marant’s signature cool-girl tailoring. “I’d pair it with wide-leg pants and heels,” she shares, adding that she would look to Givenchy or Saint Laurent for the perfect barely-there sandals. If you are loving fashion’s obsession with flats and see no way back to stilettos anytime soon, turn to a French designer who is famed for fancy creations at every height: Christian Louboutin. Lacquered with legendary red soles, the ‘Sweet Jane’ flats are crafted from gorgeously glossy patent-leather and topped with two buckled straps in a nod to classic Mary Janes.

And speaking of red, this week has proved that the color is the gift that keeps on giving. Spotted stepping out in crimson tights or clutching burgundy bags, tastemakers dashing from show to show in Paris have demonstrated that red is the season’s hottest hue. “When it comes to red, the only way to do it is with maximum impact,” says Gunavardhana. “You might catch me at a PFW after-party wearing Alaïa’s red dress with red stilettos, for example, and some gold hoop earrings by Lauren Rubinski.”

Streaks of gleaming gold jewelry will add a refined finishing touch to any SS24 look. Along with earrings and a dainty signet ring, buckle a forever-timepiece onto your wrist. Not too heavy or wide, the medium size of Cartier’s elegant ‘Panthère de Cartier’ watch is the perfect choice.

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