Paris Fashion Week Editorial with Walter Collection
Paris feels different during Fashion Week. The city becomes an intersection of architecture, personal style, and creative energy, with fashion extending far beyond the runway.
In late September, I traveled to France to photograph a Paris Fashion Week editorial for Beverly Hills-based designer Walter Collection. Rather than building the story inside a studio, we used Paris itself as the backdrop. An early morning start gave us the opportunity to move through some of the city’s most iconic locations while the streets were still relatively quiet.
The result brought together two worlds that continually influence my work: fashion and destination photography.
An Early Morning Through Paris
We began before the city fully came to life, chasing the softer light that appears across Paris in the early morning.
Our route took us from the classical architecture surrounding the Louvre to Trocadéro and its unmistakable view of the Eiffel Tower. Later, we moved along the Seine, allowing the city to shift naturally from monumental architecture to quieter scenes beside the water.
Rather than treating each landmark as a backdrop, I wanted the locations to become part of the photographs. Paris has such a recognizable visual language that very little needs to be added. Stone façades, bridges, tree-lined streets, and the Seine created an effortless contrast to the Walter Collection designs.
Walter Collection During Paris Fashion Week
Based in Beverly Hills, Walter Collection brought a distinctly Los Angeles perspective to Paris.
The designs felt especially striking against the city’s historic architecture. Strong silhouettes and modern details created contrast, while movement kept the photographs from feeling overly posed.
That balance became central to the editorial. We weren’t trying to recreate a traditional runway presentation. Instead, the goal was to photograph the clothing as it moved through the city.
At Trocadéro, the scale of the Eiffel Tower introduced drama. Near the Louvre, classical architecture created structure. Along the Seine, the photographs became softer and more spontaneous.
Each location changed the mood without changing the story.
Where Fashion and Destination Photography Meet
Photographing a fashion editorial in Paris requires many of the same instincts I bring to destination weddings.
Location matters. So does clothing. Light can completely transform both.
However, the strongest photographs happen when those elements stop feeling separate. A beautifully designed piece should interact with its surroundings. Likewise, an iconic location should contribute to the photograph without overwhelming the person within it.
For fashion-forward couples, that same philosophy translates naturally to wedding photography. A remarkable gown deserves attention to its construction, silhouette, and movement. Yet the photograph should still feel alive and connected to the experience surrounding it.
This Paris fashion editorial with Walter Collection became an exploration of exactly that balance.
Fashion brought us to the streets of Paris. The city did the rest.
Designer | Walter Mendez
Photography | Alex Kravetz
Makeup | Romagnoli Makeup
Hair | Narad Kutowaroo
