Bienvenue Paris Fashion Week

Paris, the official fashion city stages the last round of shows for the Spring 2008 ready-to-wear season. The catwalk shows started on Saturday, 29 of September and will run till 8 of October with almost 200 shows on the official and off-piste calendar.

So far, Bruno Pieters, Manish Arora, Rick Owens and Bernhard Willhelm went through the runway, however Christophe Decarnin at Balmain was the big surprise with his mix of Native Americans and India. "It's about freedom", said Decarnin before the show.

Opening with a strapless dress, the designer confirmed the season's nouveau boho trend. After that, came ponchos, one with a beaded eagle emblazoned on the chest, as well as sequined smocks and mirrored mosaic suede vests worn with slouchy tees and flaring jeans.

Still to come this week: Chanel, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Jean-Paul Gaultier; the final ready-to-wear collection by Valentino, the Roman designer who recently announced his retirement after 45 years; the Japanese avant-garde of Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garcons and Junya Watanabe; and the British designers Dame Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney.

Balmain designs