Heat Wave

PARIS, July 3, 2006 – Today was the penultimate day of a heat wave that turned the Paris men’s shows into a sweat bath. All of the venues for Monday’s shows were without air conditioning, two were set up beneath skylights – talk about unwanted greenhouse effect! Editors and officials of the French Federation of Couture coped as best they could, but the people who went the extra mile were those often overlooked during fashion week. Fred (Frédéric), our guide at the press shuttle bus, tried to find bottled water. The usher corps, melting beneath black suits and red ties, did all they could to expedite the chronically delayed start time of each show. When the sun had finally set – we’d all made it through one more hot day. Tuesday’s weather forecast was not auspicious. With temperatures forecast to be 96°F by the start time for the Dior Homme show, well, the expression “hot as a firecracker on the fourth of July” took on new meaning.