How do Parisians experience Fashion Week?

When it comes to Paris Fashion Week, one thinks of “on the sidewalk, the fashion!”: a now-cult sequence in which a visibly frustrated Parisian behind the wheel loses his cool in front of influencers posing in the middle of the roads, causing traffic amid the cacophony. During fashion week in the French capital, celebrities, influencers, and brands seize the opportunity to flood social media with content showcasing the most glamorous moments of this flagship event. Interviews with stars, backstage scenes where models jostle, influencers getting ready in hotels: every moment seems worth capturing and sharing with the public. However, the perspective of the locals is rarely considered during fashion week. Yet, their daily lives are disrupted twice a year by the turmoil caused by hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts flocking to the shows, scattered across the city. Roads are often blocked for security reasons, preventing some locals from getting to work, while tourist influencers, unfamiliar with Parisian etiquette, add to the confusion. The list of inconveniences is long.

A few years ago, the media outlet Quotidien aired a report interviewing Parisians who endure all these inconveniences. In now-viral sequences, irritated residents don’t hesitate to shout: “Go elsewhere!”, “Those fashion people annoy us!”, “Let them take their photos somewhere else!”. The comments reflect their total indifference to fashion week, contrasting sharply with the desperate enthusiasm of the participants. This humorous angle reflects the reality—rarely captured—that many locals experience. However, the atmosphere is not gloomy for all capital residents during fashion weeks. It is also the time when the city transforms into a sort of open-air stage, infusing a breath of creativity and boldness, a unique buzz that only fashion week can generate. Passersby may encounter the most extravagant outfits on their usual commute to work, inspiring their next wardrobe choices. Even for those who are not generally enthusiastic about fashion, exposure to inventive outfits may spark their interest.

For fashion lovers, it is clear that the arrival of the shows in their own city is an opportunity to feel inspired, network, and simply have fun. Like any large-scale event, Fashion Week is experienced at two speeds by locals. While some fully embrace the excitement and creativity of the event, others endure it, preferring to avoid the chaos to maintain their tranquility. Between fascination, annoyance, and appropriation, Fashion Week leaves no one indifferent in Paris, whether one loves it or tolerates it patiently.