Highlights from Paris Fashion Week Men's
Still hot.
Paris has just come to an end, with a weeks gap until couture begins. The never-ending cycle of fashion weeks continues now though as people move straight onto Berlin for the time being.
Paris had it’s usual buzz, not only around the big shows, but the city was overtaken with Fête de la Musique, Beyonce on her Cowboy Carter tour and Pride all spiralling into one another, amidst a huge thunder storm midway through. Of course fashion week had it’s own storm brewing as Jonathan Anderson debuted his mens collection for Dior, and Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton both showing on the opening day.
Paris in June is one of my favourite fashion week seasons, the menswear calendar is probably as good as it gets, and whilst there’s many more influencers and talent around, it is somewhat less superficial than the women’s editions. There’s a good overall community of people in Paris who care about fashion, and this has materialised into many becoming more outspoken about the industry over the past few years. It’s not just meaningless gossip but actual deep-thinking, critical analysis of systems and power dynamics.
A very noticeable difference with Paris is that it is the celebrity hotspot; who are now not just attending the shows, but also more and more are featuring on the runway themselves. Football’s favourite naughty kid, Mario Balotelli walked for KidSuper (whys always me?), and NBA point guard Russell Westbrook celebrated 10 years of friendship with Feng Chen Wang sporting an open torso look on the runway too. An iconic moment of the week came when Pharrell gave his thank you walk at Louis Vuitton by handing Beyonce a new bag… I’m sure she needed one.
AuraLee
The first show we attended was AuraLee, which has become a favourite of ours over the past few seasons. This time the collection translated the feeling of getting dressed each morning with unplanned nonchalance, things coming together which shouldn’t but work in a way that is well put together without trying to be. It is one of the best styled collections, art directed by Charlotte Collet, merging rich textures with airy lightness and buttery yellows bring the splash of summer warmth and fluidity. A monochrome suit is paired back with sandals which was the theme throughout, again with a full leather suit, and a layered shirt underneath a bomber and bucket hat with a midi-skirt - nothing says comfortable like having your toes out.
Not From Paris, Madame.
Drôle De Monsieur staged their SS26 show titled “Cuba Heat” in a beautiful blazing courtyard, with cocktails on arrival, and a mosaic runway to set the scene. This was perhaps the surprise of the week for me, a very cool, chic and extremely wearable collection. A rare occasion where I thought the menswear competed with the womenswear too, usually we are outdone, but the men’s tailoring, colours and silhouettes all exceeded expectations. The inspiration came from the 1930-50’s of colonial colonnades and neon cabaret lights. They captured the atmosphere well, transporting us into that era, through bold patterns, cuban shirts, colour blocking and wide relaxed tailoring with popped collars over lapels. The brand founded in 2014, might not be the first on your radar for a fashion week show, but they showed that in-line with their motto “Not from Paris, Madame”, success, ambition and talent aren’t epitomised by the main metropolitan cities.
Stand Up
The most memorable moment of the week came from a show I didn’t get in to, but was everywhere on social media. Willy Chavarria made his “HURON” show the platform to honour people affected by the ICE raids currently being undertaken by the Trump administration. Huron is a small town in Fresno County, California and has recently been targeted severely by ICE agents raiding the streets, armed and in tanks. The invitations were letters disguised as immigration summons only to be from the ‘Department of Human Verification’, announcing the persons’ “incontestable and inalienable right to exist”. Prior to showing his collection on the runway, men appeared marching slowly down the catwalk clothes only in white, before stopping, placing their hands behind their backs, kneeling down and bowing their heads, exactly as many people who are taken by ICE are forced to do in detention centres. The procession continued at the end with them sat facing outwards with their hands behind their back in a circle, emulating how dangerous inmates are forced to behave, only now it’s Salvadoran prisons where people are being persecuted with no due process. It was a powerful moment, and not the first time the American designer has used his show as a form of protest, especially ones that affect his community.
The clothes themselves were also strong enough to stand on their own. A mix of elegant 50’s Chicago flowy tailoring styles - exaggerated lapels and collars, alongside a streetstyle sense of belonging and rawness. Real clothing for real people, not just showmanship or art pieces deemed to beautiful to be worn. Bold, vibrant colours; turquoise, yellow, red and pink jump out as an act of rebellion, according to Chavarria.
What’s Work Got to do with it?
Perhaps the best of the Officine Générale collections of the past few seasons. Sitting out in a quiet side street by the showroom, Pierre Maheo treated us to a lesson in how to dress for day to night through warm months, without sacrificing elegance, comfort, poise. Sticking to their signature simple colour palette of grey, blue, brown, beige and of course black and white, yet the clothes were far from simplified. Through drape, silhouette and layering it was interesting, engaging and made you want to change your entire wardrobe (don’t do that it’s not sustainable). Maheo expertly removes the boundaries imposed by tailoring and office rules, by providing new ways of wearing clothes that we all have and styling and accessorising them in ways which feel fresh. Like with AuraLee, suiting was paired with sandals, along with suit jackets tied round the waist as if it were a simple sweater and used long ropes for belts. The clothes merely drape over the body, flowing as the models walk, rather than hugging the body tightly. This was a masterclass in Sprezzatura with a very French essence - a pinstripe matching set, peeked beneath a brown single breasted suit jacket, collar half up/down, and a matching rope belt enveloping the layers, with the excess dropping to the knee. A matching women’s version also came, and the womenswear and menswear tied with each other for a matching silhouette and aesthetic. It felt like the first time we’ve seen Maheo really step out and put his vision dialled to 100% and everyone lapped it up.
Alongside the collections in Paris, American designer, Emily Adams Bode Aujla opened up a new store following her presentation using tiny dolls dressed in the new collection, continuing on from the FW25. The store - a beautiful amalgamation of the Manhattan store in New York, has a unique feeling for a Paris boutique, a dim lit, wooden interior with a signature scent and one item of clothing on display for each style makes it feel less cluttered yet charismatic. The collection launch was a matinee with Bode Aujla’s husbands’ uncle, Bill Charlap, sat behind a Steinway at the National Opera Theatre. The collection was a signature mix of knits, patchwork and hand embroidery. Boxy silhouette shirts and cropped trousers, matching short-sets and modernised evening-wear to oppose the more casual pieces.
In a similar lens, Kartik Research being the only Indian designer on show at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, gained even more momentum. Providing another incredible collection of handwoven, and hand embroidered clothing which has expanded into a range of silhouettes as a result of success. Being able to take more risks, means they can show the buyer where to go rather than just reinforce what is selling to be safe, he told Vogue. Broad shouldered tailoring, long on the body and embroidered with signature motifs were the change for this collection, often with a shawl lapel, but rarely paired as a matching set, which gave them a more wearable and informal approach. Kumra always provides a deep insight with his show notes and collection and this time he treated guests to a copy of his latest visual essay, “How To Make It In India”, a nod to the inspiration that India provides many other brands, his being one that is truly Indian, while also acknowledging the familiar hustle that is required, similar to “making it” in America.
