The last stage of the menswear fashion weeks lands, as always, in Paris, the undisputed capital of the industry (a position bolstered even more this season after a very lack-lustre Milan season).
All the big guns were there, starting off with Louis Vuitton who actually showed a better collection than before (though not quite good enough to get on our favourites list). Elsewhere was Ami doing the same as always (we love it but we would like to move on from double-breasted tailoring…) and Paul Smith holding a personal presentation rather than a show (he is damned good at those though).
But there was plenty to enjoy with dozens of other shows ranging from classic to bat-shit crazy. These are the ones we liked the most.
Junya Watanabe
King of collabs, Watanabe never strays too far from his riffs on workwear but he always delivers. This season he teamed up with heritage Seattle brand Filson for a collection that was wearable but with a very creative twist. Great casting too.
Dior
Kim Jones’ shows for Dior are becoming the highlight of the season, both for the spectacular presentations and for his intelligent reinterpretation of the house’s codes into wearable menswear. We loved the silhouettes and colours and the styling was, as always, on point. Shame it’s his last one there.
Kenzo
In a season that seemed to be awash with neutrals and greys, it was a breath of fresh air to see Kenzo’s bold use of colour. There was a cosy vibe to the fabrics too which made the collection feel like a warm hug on a winter’s day.
Willy Chavarria
It’s not always about the clothes: sometimes a show can use fashion as an act of rebellion or social comment. Such was the case with Willy Chavarria whose whole presentation was a ‘fuck you’ to Trump and his abhorrent stance on immigration. A celebration of Latino culture and diversity, the clothes themselves are not to everyone’s taste but as a political statement, it was very powerful.
Maison Mihara Yasuhiro
Whilst we didn’t love everything in this show – the styling was chaotic and a bit of editing would have been prudent – there were some fantastic pieces in the mix. We particularly coveted the oversized jackets and coats in the military section of the show.
Hermès
Season after season we return to Hermès for a fix of understated but eternally chic touch of class (at least in our minds – we can’t afford a piece of it). As always, it was the last word in quality and craftsmanship with lovely touches of colour. They are also on the bandwagon of pushing slimmer trousers again (Robin will be worried).
