Vivienne Westwood chief says fashion is 'precarious'

Vivienne Westwood creative director Andreas Kronthaler said the fashion industry was in a "precarious moment" as he presented the British house's Spring-Summer 2027 collection at Paris Fashion Week.

Kronthaler, the Austrian widower of Vivienne Westwood who took over after her death, told AFP that the label's independence brought both strengths and pressures.

"We are living in a very precarious moment because things are not so secure in fashion," he said when asked about the commercial environment for fashion labels.

His SS27 collection, called "Body and Soul", drew on African fabrics and his own habit of wearing a night gown outside during summer heatwaves. Actress Natasha Lyonne appeared on the catwalk, while Heidi Klum, Rose McGowan and Paris Jackson were in the front row.

Recent news reports have linked designers including Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga and Chemena Kamali at Chloe to possible exits, though the labels have not commented publicly.

Hermes also showed its women's collection in Paris on Saturday, using zips across skirts, jackets and trousers. The luxury group has faced pressure in the market, with its shares down 39 percent since the start of the year after falling as much as 11 percent during the session when it released half-year results on July 29.