I often think about interviewing Catherine Baba, a true personage on the Paris fashion scene and someone I’ve long admired for her extraordinary personal style. (She tends to favor turbans, combined with unusual vintage clothes and accessories, so she really stands out!) Through years of attending fashion events in Paris, I’ve gotten to know Catherine, and I now realize it’s not just her ensembles that are so unique–it’s her entire persona. She has a way of speaking (often in the third person) that’s very distinctive: she greets me with Devotion instead of Hello; she often exclaims J’adore; and when she says dahhling, it’s not prentious, it’s just Catherine! During the most recent Prêt-à-Porter, I bumped into her at the Zandra Rhodes show, and she promptly invited me to a launch party celebrating her collaboration with the legendary Parisian costume jewelry house, Gripoix. It was to be held at Lapérouse–the hotspot of the moment–and of course I made plans to attend.

In this video, Susan offers a rare, insider’s look at the Fall ‘12 John Galliano collection, thanks to a studio preview of the show’s highlights conducted by Bill Gaytten, the label’s creative director. Hear him discuss the collection’s equestrian theme while pointing out specific details on key garments, then watch those same pieces come down the runway (worn by some of the most beautiful models in the world). It’s a special opportunity, not to be missed!

When I read that the extraordinary British designer, Zandra Rhodes, would present an archival retrospective during the Fall Prêt-à-Porter in Paris, I felt very excited. Zandra is a vibrant example of fashion history come to life: she studied textile design at The Royal College of Art; opened her first London store, The Fulham Road Clothes Shop, in 1967; launched her own collection in 1969 (and took New York by storm in the process); then established an eponymous London boutique in 1975. Over the years, she often showed her work in London or New York, but she hasn’t chosen Paris since the 1970’s.