Paris (AFP)

Overworked, American star designer Virgil Abloh will be absent from the Parisian fashion marathon, which closes the Fashions Week season after New York, London and Milan and will see three new brands on Monday.

Japanese brand Mame Kurogouchi followed by Korean Kimhekim, who appear for the first time on the official calendar, will open the ball Monday night. For nine days, will be unveiled seventy-five collections of women's ready-to-wear spring-summer 2020.

The Vietnamese-American Hung La and the French Léa Dickely, couple and duo of designers behind the London label Kwaidan Editions, another newcomer who cultivates a cinematographic spirit, will present their collection on October 1, the last day of the Paris Fashion Week, between Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

- Burn out -

The parade of the American brand Off-White will take place on September 26, but its artistic director Virgil Abloh, 38, also creator of the men's collections at Louis Vuitton, will not be there to greet the public, a rare thing in the world of fashion. Especially for a master of communication like him, with 4.4 million followers on Instagram and 8.3 million for Off-White.

"I was tired, I went to the doctor (...) Everything is fine, but the doctor told me + the pressure you impose on your body, all these flights and different projects, is not good for your health +, "the designer told Vogue.

He has canceled several trips and works from home. A pause that revived questions about the frantic pace of fashion and the burnout of creators.

Another star, the 38-year-old Georgian Demna Gvasalia, has announced, to everyone's surprise, that he was leaving his successful brand Vetements, judging to have accomplished its mission and evoking "new projects".

He remains the artistic director of the historic house Balenciaga and must be present at the parade of the brand on 29 September.

- Korean skirt and huge knot -

Former Balenciaga, the Korean Kiminte Kimhekim drew a collection mixing the traditional Korean costume and uniform, imposed on high school students in his country, streetwear with a touch of "provocation".

"I am very honored to do this show, I am happy to be on the official calendar and I am ready," he told AFP before the opening.

The actress and fashion icon Elle Fanning had worn in August a Kimhekim transparent pink gown with a gigantic knot, the hallmark of the designer that will also see Monday.

In his collection the designer also revisits the long Korean traditional skirt, chima, made by artisans in Seoul, superimposed on jeans and adding a white shirt, a nod to the uniforms.

Part of the collection is ironically baptized "Buy it if you can" as a gigantic jacket with pants twice as long as usual.

"Some say it's not portable, but I do not care, if you can, buy!" Says the creator who claims the pleasure of experimenting.

The Japanese Maiko Kurogouchi, who was her work at Issey Miyake, is known for bold and feminine collections that combine traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art techniques.

"We designers can create something new from the old know-how and pass it on to the next generation," says the designer on her website.

© 2019 AFP