New York designers tend to get a bad rap for not taking enough risks in their collections. But the first few days of Paris fashion week have shown more than a few similarities between their runways and ours, which in its own perverse way, gives props to Union names. After all, if the top two  moody avant-gardists on the international scene are opting for the same themes as their bubbly US counterparts, the latter must be on the right track. Sure it’s a chicken-and-egg proposition, but take a gander below and mull it over:

Martin Margiela‘s oversize knit dress versus NYC’s chunkiest styles…

Yohji Yamamoto‘s multi-plaid look versus the American versions of the pattern…

Martin Margiela‘s severely-peaked shoulder blazer versus the sharp shapes previously seen in NYC…

Yohji Yamamoto‘s noir ensemble versus the darkly romantic US looks…

Paris runway shots from Elle, for more trends and photo info, check this out