- Tunisia votes with Saied set for re-election
- Bagnaia sets 'example' with Japan MotoGP win to cut gap on Martin
- Intense Israeli bombing rocks Beirut ahead of war anniversary
- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
- Five of the best: Pakistan-England Test thrillers
- Man sets arm on fire as marches across US mark Gaza war anniversary
- Vietnam's young coffee entrepreneurs brew up a revolution
- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
- Schutt, Mooney help Australia beat Sri Lanka in Women's T20 World Cup
- Liverpool extend Premier League lead with win at Palace
- Djokovic 'shakes rust off' to make third round of Shanghai Masters
- 'Imperfect' PSG fighting on all fronts - Luis Enrique
- Struggling Pakistan look to thwart adaptable England
- Child 'trampled to death' in asylum seekers' Channel crossing: minister
Paris Fashion Week returns to pre-pandemic form
Two years on from France's first pandemic lockdown, Paris Fashion Week is almost back in full stride, with the vast majority of houses returning to live shows.
The women's autumn-winter week kicks off on Monday with all eyes on Off-White, presenting the final collection by its founder Virgil Abloh, who died from cancer in November at 41.
Abloh, a former Kanye West collaborator, turned Off-White into one of fashion's fastest-growing brands and was recruited to head menswear for Louis Vuitton before his career was tragically cut short.
Louis Vuitton, which has a majority stake in Off-White, believes the brand can continue to grow in Abloh's absence.
"Off-White is in the position that Dior was in 1957 (when its founder died)," Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke told Business of Fashion.
"The question is: what has the founding father left? If the legacy is rich, authentic and steeped in values that go beyond fashion, the odds of turning a passing into something eternal are spectacular."
Off-White is returning to the catwalk for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck -- and it is not alone.
Of 95 houses on the official Paris calendar, only 13 have stayed fully online for this fashion week.
The biggest names, including Dior, Chanel and Hermes, are among 45 brands holding live catwalk shows.
Saint Laurent, which had dropped out of the official calendar during the pandemic, vowing to set its own schedule, has returned to the regular line-up.
Others are doing a mix of online films and in-house presentations for buyers and press -- a concept that was devised during the pandemic and has remained popular with several houses such as Japan's Issey Miyake.
- Students of the metaverse -
Before all that, students from the French Fashion Institute will get things rolling with a digital presentation focused on fashion for the metaverse.
"The metaverse is in the process of being built and it will keep growing. It's important to be in it," said Laure Manhes, who is studying for a master's in accessories.
There are logistical advantages to breaking down barriers between real and virtual clothes, she added, since digital fashion allows youngsters to gain a foothold without the expense of making real clothes.
"It's good to have visibility online when you're starting out. It's easy -- these are tools that we know how to use well."
Physical fashion will not disappear, she added: "But it will evolve in line with this new way of thinking and communicating."
For another master's student, Lou Comte, the virtual realm offers a chance to mix different artistic styles in their work: "It's a chance to open up the field of what is possible and reach more people."
F.Moura--PC