Benetton featured heavily in my childhood wardrobe, it was one of the few children brands available when we lived abroad. They were everywhere then, truly global, more ubiquitous than McDonald's. I think my mother could have done without the ad campaigns because I wouldn't stop asking questions about them 🫣
I was a bit annoyed that in his obituaries he was described as controversial. That term definitely was correct in his hey day but if you'd never heard of him or saw his campaigns before, you'd probably read controversial as some sort of metoo thing.
Well I took home the horrible souvenir of flu back from Paris and I've only just about recovered enough to think somewhat clearly. So my much delayed Paris observations, silhouettes are definitely slimming down. If it wasn't obvious from the clothes themselves, the staff everywhere insisted on getting everything a size down when I said I was fine trying whatever size was on the rack just to see.
I was right with my predictions that there was a lot of excess stuff in the sales marked down heavily as designer brands have realised they've raised prices too much. Unfortunately I was wrong in thinking this would mean I'd have a bit of an all out YesBuy year because of it. Even at the knock down prices I just wasn't interested.
Other observations, I got to see and feel up Louise Trotter's Carven, the designs were good, basically Joseph when it was good and interesting (I did end up buying a lovely spring coat from Joseph from her era in a secondhand shop) but the fabric choices were very economic but the prices were insanely high. So if she just switches up the quality of fabrics at Bottega Veneta she's probably going to do quite well and Phoebe Philo will have some direct competition.
Speaking of, got to see her stuff at Dover Street Market and I take back anything bad I ever said about it. It's a great irony that an online only brand struggles so much to convey its qualities online. The fabrics are beautiful, as are the cuts and finishes. And the way things sit and fit <happy sigh>. The things that surprised me most were the leather goods, the shoes always looked a bit meh online but they're something else in the flesh, the leathers used on the bags blew me away. And the cashmere, agh, it was a thing of beauty. The only nitpicking I had was that the clothes have the same pitfalls as old Céline in that they're designed for someone with her body, long in the torso and limbs so I need to avoid anything overly fitted. I tried on the bomber jacket but lack of torso length was an issue and some lovely black trousers. I don't need more black trousers but otherwise they'd probably have come home with me. I loved one of the bags but it was too big on me, otherwise that would have been bought without much thought too. Anyhow, it's completely overturned my outlook, not sure what that will turn my YesBuy year into but it's one where I'm not settling for less. Unfortunately it's a very small selection at DSM and I'm not risking it online.
I did spot at the Galleries Lafayette there's a huge shop in shop construction for The Row and next to it, at about half the size, Phoebe Philo. Which is all round positive as I did stop by the new The Row shop but the security guard told me I needed to wait even though the place was empty. Had a bit of a back and forth because I immediately moved to leave, having no desire to stand outside in the cold rain waiting, it was like they really wanted me to wait but I left anyway. Later, I saw the Google reviews of the shop, and they're wild. Apparently people have to wait outside, then once they're inside you have to sit and wait again and you're not allowed to browse anything you're basically led by the hand of a sales associate 
I'm not sure when they decided they're Cartier now, it's bonkers.
I'm a bit disappointed in what I saw of their new collection as well, a lot of the fabrics had an interfacing backing to give body, I was previously so impressed they sourced fabrics that had that quality in itself and didn't do the lazy garment industry thing of bulking it out and shortening its lifespan with interfacings. I guess all that new investment is demanding growth and the baseline quality will suffer. Not sure how it will fare in the long run but I'm rapidly losing interest.
And to finish with the best news, the consignment shops seem to be back to normal prices. Or at least my old haunts, I did stumble across a Paris' best consignment shop type article from Vogue and visited a few of those and they were frighteningly expensive and the clothes were in rather questionable condition.