The final leg of the men’s show circuit is always Paris and as usual, was a case of saving the best until the last. Paris excels in the very best quality and (in part through the inclusion of Belgian and Japanese designers) some of the most innovative and fashion-forward designs. It’s also home to the REALLY big players so we can expect spectacular shows and A-list front rows. And yet again, Paris did not disappoint. There was plenty we liked but these are some of the presentations that caught our eye.
Dries van Noten
We knew this was going to be THE show of the season as Dries himself took a bow and left his eponymous company. As his last ever show, expectations were high and of course, he delivered. Shown on a co-ed cast of models, many of whom had walked for him over the years, the collection featured all the things we adore from the brand: superb, slouchy tailoring, fabulous prints, fantastic mixes of colour and texture all worn with natural ease. We loved everything and Dries, we will miss you for sure.
Dior
Another outstanding show from Dior who really know how to make a spectacle but also how to deliver a wearable and covetable collection. Collaborating with renowned South African ceramicist Hylton Nel, Kim Jones showed coats and knits featuring the artist’s naive drawings whilst his ceramic beads hung from the brims of hats. The floral jacket here is entirely beaded and took 600 hours to create but it was the cute sock and sneaker combo that really won us over.
Junya Watanabe
Quite a few collections played with the idea of red-carpet dressing but none as creatively as Junya Watanabe who explored the idea of evening suits to its limit. Frankenstein versions of black tie involved patchwork fabrics with contrast stitching and a section of double-denim suits toyed with the concept of the Canadian tux. The last section of all-white outfits would be perfect for a summer premiere so we hope to see a few actors brave enough to try them.
Loewe
Challenging, imaginative and always interesting, Loewe continues to court the intellectual art/fashion crowd and very successfully they do it too. Plenty of it is too conceptual for real life but the astonishing craft and very assured styling make it an insight into future trends which will be worrying for Robin as they were one of quite a few brands that have started to herald a return to slimmer pants…
Hermès
Considering itself to be outside the flighty world of fashion and simply relaxing into the very best in style and quality, Hermès never feels the need to follow trends. It means that the collections could easily be either self-indulgent or just dull but at the hands of head designer Veronique Nichanian that rarely happens. This collection was timeless, classy and very very desirable. We loved the pale colours set against dark brown and of course the bags and sandals were to die for.
Ami
Watching shows, we quite often run outfits through a sort of litmus test: if that person walked into a room, would you think they looked great or just stupid? Ami this time showed 55 models who would all fall into the first category with short shorts, longer shorts, bib front shirts, slouchy jackets and beautiful Macs that made everyone look the epitome of Parisian chic. His diverse cast and the relaxed, sleeves-pushed-up styling added to the allure. There’s a reason Ami is a perennial favourite of The Editors.
Homme Plissé Issey Miyake
Normally Issey Miyake’s pleated clothes aren’t really our thing, conjuring up images of gallery owners of a certain age as they sometimes do. But this season Homme Plissé had a really strong show where the clothes spoke louder than the technical process involved. Particularly effective were the mixed checks that looked relaxed enough for a festival but elegant enough for a party too and there were some very nice oversized (and non-pleated) pieces of outerwear.
