When Alessandro Michele was growing up in Rome in the 1970s, one of his favorite pastimes was to rummage through his mother’s closet and to run his hands over the rustling taffeta, glinting sequins, and other adornments of time past.

For his debut collection at the French house, the designer left 100-page documents as show notes on every seat at the runway show.

The pop superstar’s pink shoes were at odds with the moody theatrics on the runway, which was a celebration of fashion as sheer theatre