IFM student show, Brigitte Macron and Pressiat kick off Paris Fashion Week

The Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Monday with a show by Masters students at the Institut Français de la Mode, which was attended by France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron. The event was followed by a unique Woke'n'Roll collection by Pressiat.

Notably, the IFM show was graced by the presence of Brigitte Macron, two cabinet ministers, and numerous fashion industry leaders. This marked the second Masters show held at the higher learning institution.

The guest list included influential figures such as Michael Burke, head of LVMH’s Fashion Group, Sophie Brocart, CEO of Patou, renowned designer Alexandre Mattiussi and his CEO Nicolas Santi Weil.

However, it was the presence of the First Lady, a former teacher and ardent fashion enthusiast - who has hosted three fashion dinners at the Elysée with her husband President Emmanuel Macron - that created quite the buzz.

The fact that they made an appearance at the event emphasizes the commitment of the French government to establishing a top-notch fashion school to compete with institutions like Central Saint Martins or FIT, particularly after its recent restructuring.

The show took place within the IFM’s grand college, a sprawling 9,000 square-meters property located along the Seine River. A total of 27 graduates of 13 nationalities presented their designs. The Master of Arts in Fashion Design and Knitwear Design students displayed between five and seven looks each.

Three particular designs stood out: Qianhan Liu of China showcased a salient series dubbed 'Lull - The Sleep Temple', which utilized unusual materials that resembled pliable wood or actual leaves in thickly layered leafy cocoon coats or great pine coats featuring sizable collar burls.

Kira Sander of Germany also captured attention with a delightful series that drew attention to unanticipated fabrics-- dense wool spun to resemble colossal spider webs or large rocks. Her collection, 'Ilaria – The Language of Stones', featured extremely realistic stone knitwear sweaters, skirts, and boots.

Last but not least, Antonio Romano from Italy managed to turn heads with his exceptional knitwear collection that took inspiration from medieval armor. His display incorporated tunics, page blouses, and ruffled skirts paired with cyberpunk boots. Each of his looks was extraordinary.

The two-year degree program offers long-term creative partnerships with renown fashion houses such as Dior for Fashion Design and Alaïa for Knitwear Design, as well as personalized artistic direction from designers like Olivier Theyskens, and heritage, sustainability or innovation-centered seminars in association with Balenciaga or Courrèges.

Located in an area referred to as the Docks in the 13th arrondissement close to Gare d’Austerlitz, IFM currently caters to a diverse student body of 1,300 individuals from 67 different nationalities, and providing courses in design, crafts, and management.