Last Thursday night for the end of Fashion Week, the French capital saw a last, sudden burst of events, all themed and timed to celebrate the end of the season (or perhaps, take advantage of the half-dead fashionistas).

The evening began in the 11th arrondissement, with the launch of mid-range, urban hippy designer Sessùn’s new boutique, hours after the last fashion show. A good tactic indeed: the sight of vaguely affordable clothes almost brought tears to the recession-hit fashion victims present. After four weeks of drooling over untouchable garments, they didn’t know whether to buy the entire shop, have yet another drink, or take a nap on the shop’s couches. And the opening, complete with sweet and savoury couscous and raw fish, was a success: the high ceiling, the mezzanine, bird cages – a cross between a loft and an English town house – was a perfect complement to the earth-coloured garments, and created an atmosphere of calm and sanity that had much been craved during the past few weeks.

The following move was to Montana, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés: an end-of-fashion week party was organized by Zadig et Voltaire, for the people still standing with their eyes open; this was also the simultaneous launch of Nightology, the new CD of French electro-rock band Playground, launched on the brand’s own record label, to first be released in their boutiques, and then in all main record shops. Zadig et Voltaire’s interest both in fashion and music gathered a colourful mix of Bobos (‘bourgeois bohemians’: think Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou Doillon), exhausted models (such as now short-haired Irina Lazareanu), never-exhausted Olivier Zahm with a younger lady (surprise surprise), cheerful musicians (such as Sean Lennon and his pouty, large-hatted girlfriend). The melting pot danced in trance-like hysteria, provoked by an equal mix of sleep deprivation and champagne.

Competing with Left Bank excitement, French collective ‘Panpan Cucul’ (i. e. ‘I’ll slap your bottom’, in reference to a song by legendary singer Serge Gainsbourg) organized a party in honour of the end of the season, at Le Régine, on the other side of town. The rule of the night was that any girl or boy dressed like a girl, could enter for free: what better way to celebrate the end of fashion week than throw a pop-up tranny party?
The night included performances by British singer Ebony Bones, new mixes by French DJs Yuksek and Brodinski, general enthusiasm from young blogging queens and their underage, cross-dressing boyfriends.

The night ended at Le Baron, a few streets down. There, post-Montana migrants arrived in exhilaration and utter drunkenness to keep dancing, whilst a very static Lindsey Lohan stared into space in one of the corners of the rooms.
Like zombies in ecstasy, they boogied til the wee hours of the mornings. As German philosopher once said, ‘Madness is rare in individuals, but in groups, parties, nations and ages it is the rule’ said Friedrich Nietzsche – surely he meant political and post fashion show parties alike.