French Federation advances July 2024 Couture season, with Paris Olympics in view

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Apr 22, 2023

The Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, French fashion’s governing body, has decided to advance the dates of next year’s summer haute couture week, in order to avoid any overlap with the Paris 2024 Olympics.

As a result, the haute couture season will be moved up one week and staged from Monday, June 24 to Thursday, June 27, 2024. Providing ample time and space before the Paris Olympics, which are scheduled from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11 in the French capital.  

“The Olympic games and the Paris Fashion Weeks are unique opportunities for Paris, with two major events of international standing,” said Pascal Morand, executive president of the Federation.  

The new couture dates, designed to separate the runway season by four weeks from the global sporting event, were needed precisely because many of the great catwalk shows in Paris are staged in historic city center locations, requiring ample time to create and break down spectator stands in time for the Olympic games which will also take place in these locations. For instance, the Grand Palais, frequently used by Chanel for catwalk spectaculars, will be the site for fencing and taekwondo.
 
“The Ministry of Culture has agreed, at our initiative, to raise awareness among all the parties involved, the Paris City Council, the Police Prefecture, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games and the inter-ministerial delegate for the organisation of major sports events. We have already held a coordination meeting that went well and will have regular meetings in order to have the best cooperation,” added Morand.
 
Paris, the most visited city in the world, is planning the largest ever opening ceremony of any Olympic Games, with an expected attendance of 600,000 spectators. Unlike traditional opening ceremonies, usually staged in a stadium, Paris will hold its opener on water, along the 6-kilometer route, with guests on the lower and upper quays of the Seine. While some two million people are expected to be drawn to Paris over the whole games.
 
After Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin came in for heavy criticism after crowd chaos at last year’s Champions League final at the Stade de France, security is expected to be on especially high alert. Some 30,000 police and gendarmes will be on duty throughout the 17 days of the Olympics. Plus, all Interior staff will be barred from taking leave during the games.
 
Moreover, the city will also play host to the next Paralympic Games in 2024, starting on August 28 and ending on September 8, bringing together 4,400 athletes over 12 days.
 
The Federation has also announced the dates of all six fashion seasons next year in the City of Light: two each for menswear, women’s ready-to-wear and couture.
 
The Paris Men’s Fashion Weeks will be held from Tuesday, January 16 to Sunday, January 21; and from Tuesday, June 18 to Sunday, June 23. The haute couture seasons will be held Monday, January 22 to Thursday, January 25; and from Monday, June 24 to Thursday, June 27. While the women’s RTW seasons will be from Monday, February 26 to Tuesday, March 5; and Monday, September 23 to Tuesday, October 1.
 
May the games, and the catwalks, begin.