PARIS FASHION WEEK OPENS TODAY

Starting today and running through to Wed 6 March are the presentations for the Women’s Ready-to-Wear collections for next Autumn-Winter, 2013-14. After recent headline-grabbing début collections from new ADs at emblematic French houses – Raf Simons at Dior and Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent Paris – Balenciaga will present a first collection from its new creative director, the New Yorker Alexander Wang, on Thursday morning, “in an intimate atmosphere,” using a “salon-style format,” with possibly as few as 50 people! A special pop-up inside Colette is currently showcasing Raf Simons for Dior debut collection, for Spring-Summer 13, and now on the racks. Karl Lagerfeld will inaugurate a new flagship in St Germain dedicated to his Lagerfeld line. Mugler presents a pop-up at the Joyce Galerie on Palais Royal, running through to the end of May. Local fashion activist Andrea Crews will inaugurate a new boutique in the Marais and Bless has moved into a pop-up space near the Buttes Chaumont (12 rue Clavel)till Tue 5 Mar. Carven open a second boutique rue de Grenelle. And in preparation for major renovations planned for the Rue Cambon flagship next year, Chanel will launch two chic new stores on Rue Saint-Honoré (at 380, and cnr Rues Duphot & Saint-Honoré); one store will be dedicated to the Cruise collection, and the other to cosmetics and perfume.